Taking Chances
by thekeyunderthemat
Summary: AU Story. Set seven years after the first season of the show in NYC. Faberry.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters (I wish!)

A/N: This is my first story in a long long time and my first about Glee. English is not my mother tongue, so if people likes this I will consider having a beta reader. Be kind!

**CHAPTER – 1**

Rachel Berry stops in front of one of the tall buildings in New York City and takes a deep breath.

-_You know that this is what you have to do, Rachel. The sooner you do it, the sooner it'll be over._

Rachel takes a step into the building and goes straight to the elevator. Although she has to repeat herself some more those words, she presses the button to the fourteenth floor and the elevator doors close.

The elevator doesn't take much in getting to her floor and she exits it before the rest of the people in it start looking her suspiciously. She takes another deep breath and gets into the office, shyly.

It is a pretty office. A couple of couches to wait, with a little table, some pictures on the wall of pretty New York landscapes… She takes a look around the place until she catches the sight of the receptionist behind the desk. As she walks toward that desk, she notices that she is impossibly young…

-Good morning – says doubtfully Rachel and the little blonde girl who is sitting behind the desk snaps her head up.

-Good morning – says the little girl and she snaps back down her head as she continues painting furiously in the paper in front of her.

Rachel doesn't really know what to do next; she wasn't expecting a receptionist so young. Should she ask her if her mum is around? But before she has any chance to speak, the little girl talks again.

-My auntie is now busy. – She says, pointing to one of the doors behind her. – You can wait here, maybe she can see you. My mommy is out at the library, looking for a book for her exam, but she will be back very soon and she can give you an appointment so you don't have to wait.

Rachel's confidence in what she was going to do starts weakening. She turns to the exit door and takes a step forward. Then she stops and repeats herself _"the sooner the better"_. She turns around again and catches the girl's eyes looking at her worried, which help Rachel to finally going to the couches and taking a seat. The girl follows her with her eyes and when she finally sits, she smiles proud of her good job and so Rachel smiles a little smile too.

-I would give you the appointment, but mommy doesn't let me event touch the computer because the other day I did something and we had to call a man to fix it.

-It's ok, I'll wait. – Rachel smiles.

Rachel starts searching in her bag for her blackberry in order to keep herself busy until something happened.

-Do you want to read something? Mom has some magazines for the clients if they want to read while waiting.

-No thanks – she smiles again.

She finally finds her blackberry and pulls it out to check her messages. She has 5 missed calls and 3 messages, all from him. She remembers now why she put it on silent mode earlier.

She tosses it again into her bag and looks around. She can't stand him anymore. Determination wins in her mind.

-I think I know who you are. – says thoughtfully the little girl, fixing her big brown eyes in Rachel.

-Do you? – She raises an eyebrow.

-I think so. My mommy took me to this Broadway musical once, Spring Awakening, and you were there.

Rachel smiles a little bit and answers.

-Yes, that could be me.

-Do you want to see my drawing? – the little girl runs to Rachel to show her the drawing she's been working all along before she even can agree to it.

Rachel takes it with both hands and examines the drawing. It's the stage on her musical and a representation of one of the most important scenes. A pretty good drawing for a… wait, how old is she? 6?

-It's very beautiful. You draw very well!

-Thanks! – The girl smiles happily and then she keeps rambling while Rachel continues watching the drawing – Mommy took me the day it opened and it was so cool. There were a lot of important people! It was hard for her to get the tickets, they were very expensive, but she got them. I've always wanted to watch one of those big musicals on Broadway and mommy told me she only would take me to the best, so she took me to Spring Awakening. – She ended with a big happy and proud smile.

-I'm glad you liked it so much.

-Mom liked it very much too. She thinks I didn't notice, but I saw some tears in her eyes and I've never seen her clapping so hard when it ended.

Rachel smiles. Now she is a Broadway star, she has the starring role on the new Broadway hit musical, but she can't make herself get used to this, although she always thought she could.

-And I want someday to sing in a musical, just like you. Mom promised me she'll sign me up for singing lessons next year – she says proudly.

-Maybe… - she starts tentatively – I could get you a couple of tickets to watch it again…

-Would you? Really? – The girl starts jumping for joy and Rachel can't help the biggest smile in weeks, she is such a cute little girl and she seems so familiar…

-Of course. – She looks for her agenda in her bag and pulls it out. – Just tell me your name and your mom's and I will bring them next time I come here.

Before the happy little girl can give an answer the doors open and a tall blonde figure enters the room.

-Beth! What have I told you about bothering the clients?

The little girl turns to her mom with a sad look and puppy eyes.

-I shouldn't. I'm sorry mom… - she said in a pitiful voice.

Rachel stands slowly from behind Beth.

-She wasn't bothering me… - she starts saying, but isn't able to finish the sentence because she notices how familiar the tall blonde mom looks.

The blonde angry eyes flick from her daughter to the woman behind her apologetically and it's then that she notices too.

-Rachel?

-Quinn?


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters (I wish!)

A/N: This is my first story in a long long time, my first about Glee and English is not my mother tongue. Thank you very much for all the reviews on the first chapter, I really appreciated them. Hope you enjoy this one too.

**CHAPTER – 2**

Both stand silent, not knowing how to react next.

Rachel's mind is thinking too fast as she looks Quinn up and down, making herself certain it IS her. She can make the lot of questions in her mind to stop so she can choose one to ask:

"When did she leave Lima? What is she doing here? This is Beth! She didn't give her up in adoption? She wanted to be so much more than a secretary. How is she doing? She looks very good. Is she dating Puck anymore? She doesn't wear a ring, so that means at least she is not married."

More or less the same was going through Quinn's mind at the same exact moment.

"What is she doing here? Is she in any problem? Did she know I work here and came to visit? Of course she didn't. Don't be ridiculous. She looks good. Why is she standing right there not moving? Why doesn't she say anything? The Rachel I knew would always have something to say, always! Ok… then come up with something"

Quinn starts to open her mouth, but the sound doesn't come out fast enough.

-Do you know my mommy? – little Beth enquires Rachel.

She lowers her eyes to look at the little blonde, smiles and slowly nods.

-Cool! – and she falls silent waiting for someone to articulate a word.

-Hi! – says finally Quinn – It's nice to see you.

Quinn takes a step forward and, after giving some thought, she extends her hand ready for a polite handshake.

-Hi! – Rachel walks the space that separates them, ignores Quinn's hand and gives her a little hug. A warmth feeling invading Quinn.

A few seconds away, the hug breaks apart and Rachel can't help but blush a little. She is always so impulsive. Even with the woman that used to torture her in high school. Although that was something Rachel had erased from her memories, because at the end she had discovered that Quinn was really a nice person and that were stupid high school things.

After years in New York, she can't help notice this city is bigger and people is colder. She isn't alone anymore, like when she first arrived, she now has friends, but still there is something about the people in her hometown that she really misses. Something Quinn has.

-How are you? How have you been? – Rachel asks her.

-Fine, I guess. And you? – Quinn asks, pretending she doesn't have a clue.

-I guess I've been fine too.

-Mommy - Beth claims attention – Rachel told me that she is going to get us tickets for her musical.

-You told her that? - Quinn asks suspiciously to Rachel.

-Yes, I did. – And now talking to Beth, she added. – And if you make your mum take you there early, I will show you the backstage and you will meet everyone.

-Thanks! – Beth shouts and hugs Rachel's legs. Then she turns around and says to her mum. – You see? I didn't make it up. – And she puts her tongue out to her mother.

Quinn looks at her daughter disapprovingly and back at Rachel.

-Thank you, Rachel. – She says and Rachel knows she really means it by the sincerity in her eyes.

Again, they fall silent and again, it's Beth the one to break it.

-Rachel wanted to see auntie, but I told her she's busy and she could wait for her or for you to come. – She said proudly.

Quinn remembers she works here and walks behind the desk.

-So did you come to see Brittany? – asks Quinn, clicking something on her computer.

-Who?

-Brittany… - says again Quinn, and starting to realize Rachel had no idea… - the lawyer!

-Auntie Brittany! – helps Beth.

-You're kidding me, right? – Quinn stares back at her trying not to laugh at her surprise – Brittany, your friend, the blonde cheerio. Brittany, the 'did you know dolphins are just gay sharks' Brittany?

Quinn bites her lip and laughs at the old quote.

-Yes. That Brittany. She's the owner of this firm, Robertson's & Co, one of the top firms in the city.

-Who would have thought that? I didn't even know Brittany had a second name… - they both laugh at the memories of high school.

-Do you want to talk to Brittany or would you prefer another of our lawyers?

-No, I think it'll be less awkward if I know somehow the lawyer.

- Ok, let's see… - Quinn watches for a while the screen – She can see you on Wednesday, at 5pm? It's the first appointment I can give you, she's real busy. Here – she takes a form and a pen – we need some of your personal information, such as a telephone number we can contact you at, just in case.

While Rachel writes down her information, Quinn takes a card from a drawer and writes something in the back. When they finish, they exchange the documents.

-Here you have a card with the office information.

-Thank you very much. My friend, the one who recommended this law firm, told me you have a huge waiting list… - she smiles and winks to Quinn.

-Well… we've made an exception. Don't tell anyone – she smiles back.

They both fall silent once again.

-So… - starts Rachel – see you on Wednesday?

-See you then. Have a nice weekend.

-You too.

-Goodbye Rachel! – says Beth.

-Goodbye Beth. I won't forget your tickets.

And so, she walks into the elevator.

-Mommy, how do you know a Broadway star?

-We want to high school together.

-Really? – Quinn nods – Cool! Was she your best friend?

-No, sweetie. Your aunties were.

-Auntie Brit and Auntie San?

-Yes – Quinn starts to remember those days at high school while Beth keeps talking.

_How the three of them, in her cheerios uniform, walked down the aisles and made fun of everyone. _

-You know what Mark Sheppard told me? That Aunties Brit and San weren't really my aunties.

_How they tortured Rachel and she just put up with it. She tried to remember though, why in particular they liked to torture her so much. _

-And you know what I told him? I asked him what his auntie did for him.

_She had an awkward taste in fashion. She thought she sang better than anyone. She was screaming for a slushie in her face with every step… _

-And he told me his auntie lives in Europe and he doesn't see her much.

_But really, she knew that wasn't the truth, only stupid excuses. From a more mature perspective, she realizes that they kind of envied her. _

-And then I told him that my aunties were better than his auntie even if they are not my real aunties. Right, mom?

_Rachel Berry was one of the bravest person she's ever met. She didn't wait for her dream to catch her, she made it happen. Guess Quinn still envy her…_

-Right? – Beth finally gets Quinn attention.

-Right sweetie.

Quinn gets back to her computer to type on Brittany's schedule the new appointment on Wednesday. She will have to talk to her and beg her to make it quick with the previous clients, though she knows it won't be difficult.

She takes the form Rachel filled out and examines it.

Name: Rachel H Berry

Address: Rushmore Hotel, room 15

She stops reading. Why does she live in a hotel room? And more important, what does the crossed H mean? A middle name she doesn't want anybody to know? Curiosity building up. She didn't ask her why she needs to consult a lawyer. Actually, it had crossed her mind earlier, but she considered she wasn't in the best place to ask.

She ends typing the information onto the computer file and takes out her mobile phone. She isn't sure why she's doing this but dials Rachel's number and saves it. As she clicks the 'OK' button, she smiles.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters.

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews! It really gives me motivation to write more and faster.

CHAPTER – 3

-Beth, have you finished your homework already? Because I think I remember telling you no drawing until you've finished…

-I have one math exercise left. I didn't know how to do it and you were in the library.

-Ok… come here and let's do it. After, you can do what you want and I have to study a little bit.

-What do you have to study?

Quinn opens her bag and takes out a big old book from the library. She opens it randomly and shows it to her daughter. A lot of numbers and equations cover the pages.

-I think you're going to laugh at my exercise…

-Don't worry; I'm sure it was also hard for me when I was six years old… You'll get it.

-Six and a half!

-Six and a half. Let's see what the problem is… Apples! If you eat apples, you have less, so…

-Oh! I know! Thanks mommy. – And she starts answering the problem, using her fingers to do the subtraction correctly.

One of the doors behind Quinn opens and two suited up women exits the room.

-Thank you for your time Miss Robertson.

-You're welcome. I will do everything I can in the matter, Mrs. Milligan. And as soon as we have something we'll call you, ok?

-Thank you again. See you soon.

-See you, Mrs. Milligan.

Mrs. Milligan walks into the elevator and the doors close behind her.

-Hi girls. It's late, why don't you go home? I have to stay doing some paperwork and I'll close the office.

-Are you sure? Want some company? – asks Quinn.

-Yes, I'm sure – Brittany smiles – go home with Beth. She has to go to bed early.

-Okay... – The blonde turns around – Wait! Can you do me a favor? – Brittany turns again.

-Sure, what is it?

-I need you to squeeze a little bit your appointments on Wednesday and see another client.

-Must be important then. Who is the client?

-Rachel Berry.

-That should be… interesting. –Brittany said as she goes back into her office.

Rachel exits the building and grabs a coffee in the nearest place. She knows it's too early to get to the theatre, so she decides to walk instead of taking a taxi. Somehow she hopes the fresh air will clear her mind.

She takes the card Quinn gave her and saves the number on her blackberry. She then flips the card and notices something written in the back. She smiles as she reads Quinn's name and number. She dials her number without a second thought. Unfortunately, a lady like voice tells her Quinn's mobile phone cannot be reached at the moment.

Beth and Quinn finally get home. At the end of the day, the ride all the way downtown seems way too long.

The girls live in a Brooklyn loft. It is nothing compared to her parents house in Lima, but she is the one to pay the rent each month and she lives far from them, so that makes it the best place to live. And although the place is small, the two of them have arranged it as they like and they can't ask for more. A bedroom, a studio turned into Beth's bedroom, a bathroom and a kitchen – living room.

-Beth, why don't you take a bath while I cook something for dinner?

-Yes, mommy… - and she runs to the bathroom.

Quinn goes to the kitchen and opens the fridge, trying to figure out something easy to cook. She decides to go with a salad and some grilled chicken. Later, they eat their dinners in their pajamas while watching some TV. They brush their teeth and Quinn goes back to the kitchen to do the washing-up. When she returns, Beth has fallen asleep on the couch. She turns off the TV and carries her to her bed.

She tries to study a little before going to bed, but something isn't letting her concentrate properly tonight. She opens her closet and gets a box from the top shelf. She opens it and takes a trip down memory lane watching old photos.

She sits in her bed and starts laying out old pictures: the three former cheerios in their practice outfit, with Finn back when they used to date, etc. And there they were: a couple of photos from Sectionals and Regionals, before Rachel left McKinley. She remembers Sectionals. She had just broken up with Finn but she enjoyed every second on the stage, it made her forget all her problems. The day they went to Regionals, Beth was born. She enjoyed so much the Journey mash-up and although Vocal Adrenaline won, it was one of the best days of her life.

She takes the one from Regionals and puts it in her night table.

Then she puts back the rest of the photos into the box and back in the closet. She feels really tired, so she gets her bag off the bed and puts it in a chair. She takes out her mobile phone and checks it. She has a missed call message. She opens it: Rachel B.

Quinn lays herself down her bed and stares at the phone. She wasn't expecting Rachel to call her. She knows she was the one to write her number on the back of the card, not that she was expecting her to use it or anything. She presses the call button absorbed in her thoughts and it starts ringing in the other side.

-Hi? – a sleepy voice suddenly replies, eyes hardly open.

-Hi… - Quinn answers in surprise. _"Dammit, I just woke her up! I didn't know it was so late."_

-Quinn? – Rachel reads on her blackberry screen.

-Hi. Yes, it's me. I'm sorry; I didn't know it was this late. I'll call you back tomorrow. Good night. – She says way too quickly before she hangs up. "_Stupid, stupid! You can't call someone you tortured in high school, after having a polite meaningless conversation this late in a working day_".

She leaves the phone on her night table, watching it. After a few seconds it starts ringing.

-Dammit – she picks it up – Hi?

-I think we should move past that already – says Rachel on the other side.

-Sorry… - she apologizes.

-And past that. – Rachel adds – Do you want to go for a coffee tomorrow? I think I'm going to need liters…

-So… - Quinn starts saying, but the echo of Rachel's voice resounds in her mind - Sure. What time?

-Morning, 9 o'clock? Coffee place in front of the office?

-Sounds good.

-See you tomorrow then. Goodnight.

-Goodnight – but before she finishes the word, Rachel has ended the call.

-Hi there bossy girl - Quinn smiles at the telephone until she realizes she kind of liked that. No, she didn't. She quickly puts the telephone away and turns to the other side of her bed.


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters._

_A/N: I am aware that the previous chapters may have being confussing, but I wanted the main characters to get to the situation they could explain to each other what happened in the past. In this chapter and the next I hope everything gets cleared up._

_Again, I can't thank you enough for all the reviews, suggestions and support._

**CHAPTER – 4**

Next morning Quinn wakes up early, way too early. She turns in her bed, trying to go back to sleep until the alarm goes off. Instead, her mind keeps going on and on about that coffee meeting she has with Rachel later today. She is nervous. She shouldn't be nervous, she is Quinn Fabray. But somehow, she tells herself, it's normal. It's been a long time now since she was the HBIC cheerio others thought they knew.

She drops Beth at school and is headed right to the coffee place where she is meeting Rachel. She is a little early and isn't sure if they are meeting inside or outside, but as she approaches the door, she hears someone calling.

"Quinn!" Rachel calls, walking the street in the blonde's direction "Hi!" Rachel meets her at the door and this time Quinn is the one to go for the hug. Rachel had promised herself she was going to be less impulsive and was ready for a handshake, so when Quinn is the one to hug her, she can't help but smile.

"Hi. Shall we go in?" Quinn says, gesturing towards the coffee place.

"Sure" They enter. "What do you want to have?" She asks politely.

"Hmm… I'll have a latte"

"Two lattes, please." Quinn gets her purse, but Rachel beats her to it and pays before she can do it herself. "This is on me, I owe you"

"What? Why?" Quinn is confused.

"I was awfully rude when I called you back last night." She explains.

"But I was the one who woke you up!"

"Well, if you feel so bad and insist, you'll get it next time." Rachel gets her coffee and turns around.

Quinn smiles. So now, they are having coffee another day. She likes that. She grabs her coffee and turns around. Apparently, Rachel has spotted a little table with two free seats. She follows her.

They sit, get comfortable and stare back at each other.

"So…" Rachel decides to start. "How long have you be living in New York?"

"About 4 years. I got a scholarship for Columbia and Beth started here the elementary school. I worked as a waitress and in a supermarket, until Brittany opened the law firm and she hired me as her secretary." Rachel is listening carefully but Quinn can't make it to look her in the eye.

"I still can't get over Brittany being a lawyer. And in such a short time." Rachel decides to pick up into the fun part of the story. Quinn smiles.

"Well. A lot of things changed when you left." Finally Quinn gets to look her in the eye. Rachel look back at the hazel eyes and find a little note of resent in them. "When you left, Glee Club was left without a strong female lead, so we decided to add to the performances more moves, to make them visually better." Quinn takes a pause. "So, one day, Mike and Britt were teaching us some new moves and Brittany fell off." Rachel bits her lip while Quinn takes another pause. "She injured her knee and wasn't the same again. She had to leave the cheerios and lost her popularity. Her parents weren't very supportive, either. Only her grandma believed in her and she died a little bit after."

Quinn drinks a little of her latte, because she feels her throat drying.

"She wanted to leave her parents, her house, just go away. She knew she hadn't a chance to get a cheerleading scholarship anymore and so, she studied hard, really hard. We discovered another Brittany. Everybody thought she was dumb, but that just was kind of her role in school. She is very intelligent, she is brilliant. She graduated the first in her class and she got accepted in Columbia. She took a lot of classes at a time and graduated early. She opened the law firm thanks to her grandmother's inheritance and she is the youngest lawyer with her own law firm."

"That is really impressive." Rachel is trying to take in all of that information.

"She keeps being her old self, though. With us, she keeps being her nice, stupidly funny self." Quinn smiles and waits in silence. "Rachel…" She brings her back from her thoughts.

"Yeah?" She answers.

"Why did you leave?"

"I… I was offered a place in Julliard's precollege division. My daddy met a man with some friends in there and they offered me a place and… so we moved to New York."

"I can get that, but… you didn't even say goodbye." Rachel meets Quinn's eyes once again. She holds her breath at the sight: sadness, hurt and resent.

"I tried to, believe me, I did. But I couldn't bring myself to do it. I couldn't tell you I had made that selfish choice." Her brown eyes are now at the edge of tears.

"Not explaining it to us, that was selfish" Rachel looks down "Not even Finn. You didn't even tell Finn you were moving until it had already happened. You two were supposed to be together." She snaps her eyes also at the edge of tears.

Rachel catches a few tears that have already escaped.

"He told me he loved me right before Regionals, when I didn't know about New York, and I… I never told him back. I didn't love him like that anymore. When I moved, I felt very bad, particularly for him. I wrote him a letter, I explained him that. After that, he made it very clear he didn't want to hear from me anymore."

"He turned out very aggressive. He focused on the football team and went off to Ohio University. He didn't keep in touch with any of us, not even Puck."

Suddenly, Rachel can't stop the tears from falling anymore.

"That was all my fault. If I had stayed, Finn now would be the nice guy he was."

"Hey! Hey! That isn't true. If you had stayed, you sooner or later would have left him, You have said you didn't love him anymore. And maybe he would still have turned out aggressive. And if you had stayed, Brittany wouldn't have fallen and be the bright and happy lawyer she is now." She soothes her, taking her hand.

"But…"

"But nothing. Where the hell is all of this coming from? The Rachel Berry I went to school with took pros & cons lists and make sure of her decisions. You did what you had to do and Finn is an asshole if he still blames you for pursuing your dream." Quinn says, squeezing Rachel's hand.

"I'm not sure of anything anymore…" Rachel tries to hide her eyes from Quinn, ashamed. She looks in her bag for something to wipe her tears away with her free hand. Quinn gets a handkerchief from hers and gives it to Rachel.

"Rachel" She squeezes the brunette hand to make her look at her again. "Why do you need a lawyer?" Rachel looks away, wiping away more tears. "Why are you living in a hotel?"

"You know that?" She replies.

"Where did you think I got your telephone number from?" She gives her a little smile.

Rachel's blackberry starts ringing. She takes it out from her bag, reads the caller and hangs up with a sigh, tossing it back in her bag.

"Rachel, who is he?"


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters._

_A/N: This chapter took me way to long, I know and I'm sorry. But, although I have a general idea what I want to lead this story, the words doesn't always come to me so easily and this has been the hardest chapter for me to write and still, don't like much how it has come up. I will do my best to compensate you in the next chapter._

_Thank you always for your reviews and support._

**CHAPTER – 5**

Rachel looks at her, in shock. She isn't quite sure if Quinn is the person she can confess all of her problems over a coffee. She thinks she really doesn't know the blonde anymore, that they have grown up and they're not the girls they met at school. They weren't even 'friends' in high school, how can she trust her now?

"Please, Rachel. Talk to me." Quinn begs. She is feeling utterly worried about the once McKinley's diva. She had never seen her so fragile and she suddenly feels the urge to give her a hug. Even when she got slushied at school, she wouldn't look as vulnerable as she did now. Quinn is getting really scared, not only because Rachel current status, but also because all the feelings that status is producing in her.

Rachel's phone starts ringing again. She doesn't even try to see who is calling, she already knows who it is, but she looks nervous around the place. Suddenly, Quinn feels like they're being observed. Rachel stands up, grabs her bag and starts towards the door.

"I can't do this anymore. I can't." Rachel says to herself, shaking her head in terror.

"Hey!" Quinn protests and follows her. As they exit the place, Quinn grabs her arm turning her around. "What is happening?" She asks her, worried, but she forgets what she was asking the minute Rachel winces in pain at Quinn's touch.

"Let's go." Quinn forces her to keep moving past many buildings, holds her hand and turns around at apparently random corners until, almost breathless, enters an alley and pushes Rachel through a little door which turns out to be the office building back door.

Quinn leads them to the elevator and up to the office floor, where she lets finally Rachel free to sink in one of the sofas while she walks from side to side.

"I can't believe this. Seriously, I can't" Quinn just rambles while she keeps walking with angry steps. She passes by her desk and grabs a pen, stabbing the air. Rachel keeps staring at her, rather scared at the ex cheerio. Quinn notices and sits beside her. "Are you ok?" Rachel begins to nod and Quinn starts rambling again. "Of course you're not ok. How could you be ok? You've got a psycho following you to coffee places and who knows where. He's calling you every time just to control you. He beats you up and he is reducing you to zero. I know that we kind of have grown up and I may not know you that well anymore, but the Rachel Berry I knew would stand up to anything. Who the hell is he? Why don't you go to the police?"

"You have notice all of that?"

"Yeah, I've noticed all of that. You don't have kids, do you? Will he beat them too?" Quinn keeps talking furious, suddenly her eyes getting wet.

"Quinn, calm down. I have gone to the police and I'm taking legal advice." Rachel can't understand why Quinn is so upset, she is even more upset than herself. The blonde finally gives in and sinks into the sofa too, in silence.

"I thought he loved me, you know?" Rachel says after a while.

"That's not love. That's not even healthy." Quinn replies. After a while, she can help but shyly enquire. "Do I know him?"

"Maybe. Beth said you went to my first show." Quinn nods. "Do you remember this character Melchior? His real name is Mark. We had a great chemistry on stage and I thought I loved him too in the real life, so we got married. He was a nice man, really. The bad stuff all started when he told me he wanted to leave Spring Awakening and he expected me to follow him. I didn't want to leave and we had a huge argument. At the end, I didn't leave the musical and things never were the same between us. It's my fault."

"Yes, I would your fault he is a selfish jerk." Quinn snaps. "Have you talked to someone about all of this?" Quinn asks.

"No." Rachel answers; drying her tears with the back of her hand. "Dad and Daddy went back to Ohio once I assured them I would be fine on my own. They didn't like New York; they say it's too noisy and cold. I just couldn't tell them."

"And your friends?"

"They're his friends too. I don't know if I can trust them." Quinn thinks about it and chuckles. "What? It isn't funny."

"You're kind of trusting me. That's at least ironic."

Rachel chuckles too. "It's true..."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you are. Even if we have never been friends."

Rachel smiles. "I guess it's never too late."

The office phone starts ringing and Quinn picks it up.

"Robertson's & Co. How may I help you? No. She's not in right now. Would you like to leave a message? Sure. Please, hold on a second." Quinn looks desperately for paper and pen. "Dammit Beth!" She whispers.

Rachel gives her a notepad and a pencil from the other side of the desk.

"Thanks." And back to the telephone. "Could you repeat your name?"

The elevator opens and two suited men enter.

"Morning" They say to no one in particular as they make their way through the doors behind Quinn.

The elevator opens again and an old lady holds out a stack of mail. Quinn stands up but she can't hang up the client and grab the stack, so Rachel grabs it for her. She finally hangs up.

"Thanks again" Rachel smiles, handing her the stack of mail. Quinn starts sorting it out in little piles. "This job can be very stressful. You're lucky you're doing something you love."

"That doesn't mean it's less stressful…" She assures her. The phone starts ringing again.

"Robertson's & Co. How may I help you? Hi Brit. Sure, I'll check it. Hold on." Quinn stands up and goes through the filing cabinet, searching for some kind of document. Rachel takes the stack of mail and continues sorting it out for her.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters.

A/N: Thank you for your reviews and your support, they keep me writing.

**CHAPTER – 6**

Quinn hangs once again the telephone and she sighs. The telephone has been ringing all morning and people coming by. Quinn finally looks around. The midday sun is coming in from the windows at her left. She continues looking around and stops at an empty sofa.

"_Where is Rachel? Maybe she is in the toilet?"_

She walks through the corridor and turns to the last door on her left. She knocks the door softly and listens quietly.

"Hello?" She knocks again. When she is certain nobody has answered, she opens the door to find an empty room.

She turns again and walks back to her desk. She is feeling weirdly nervous and scared, not accepting the idea of Rachel walking away from the office without even saying goodbye. She looks up on the computer and picks the phone. As she finishes dialing, the elevator doors get open. Quinn looks up from her desk and finds the brunette coming in with a paper bag and a smile on her face. That suddenly makes Quinn feel very stupid and she quickly hangs up.

"Who were you calling?" asks Rachel.

"Nobody." Quinn replies quickly and Rachel arches her eyebrows. "I mean… I couldn't reach it." At least that wasn't a lie, Rachel's phone is out of reach. "Where did you go?" She changes the conversation.

"I was getting kind of hungry and thought you might be too. So I ran out to grab something. I didn't know what to get you, so I brought you a couple of ham and cheese sandwiches? I can totally go and get something else."

"It's fine, thank you." Quinn smiles and Rachel takes the sandwiches out of the bag.

"And… while I was out I noticed the telephone store and I bought a new telephone number. So here it is my new number." Rachel takes a paper and writes it down. "Change it on the file, please. And in your file, so if you suddenly don't notice me heading out, you can make sure I'm fine."

"How did you…" Quinn starts.

"You looked pretty worried when I got here… and when you saw me, you kind of relaxed." Rachel explains.

"Right…" Quinn says, feeling stupid all over again.

"He's supposed to be working right now." Rachel says in a lower voice.

"Oh. Ok." Quinn says in a lower voice imitating Rachel's.

"So…" Rachel starts again. "I've thought that Beth tomorrow doesn't have school and I was wondering if you two don't have anything to do… maybe you'd like to come to the late show."

Quinn takes a bite from one of the sandwiches and looks like she is thinking it through.

"Please?"

Quinn finally swallows and nods.

"Sure. We weren't doing much tonight. Actually, I was going to be pretty lame and stay home studying… But that sound definitely much, much better." Rachel smiles like nothing could make her happier.

"Great!" She stands up. "I have to go now. We've got rehearsals, then the early show. Then rest a bit and the late show. When you arrive, just go to the entrance and tell them I got you the seats, ok? I will meet you after."

"O… ok. But…"

"I'll be ok, Quinn." Rachel gets a serious look to make her point. "I just got overwhelmed for a moment, but I know I can't let my fear overrule my determination."

"Ok." Quinn says, a little bit confident on seeing a side of the old Rachel. "We'll see you tonight. Just… take care."

"See you" Rachel disappears as the elevator doors close behind her.

"Beth!" Quinn shouts, waving her hand for her daughter to see her at the school entrance.

"Hi mom!" She runs towards her and jumps to her arms.

"Hi, sweetie. How was school today?" She puts her in the floor again, takes her hand and starts walking.

"Great. I was the only one to get all my homework correct." She smiles.

"That's good, sweetie. We have to celebrate."

"Can we have dinner out?"

"Yes, we can. But that wasn't the only thing I had in mind."

"What is it, mommy? What is it!" Beth asks, just too curious.

"I was today with Rachel and she asked me if we wanted to go tonight to the show."

"We're going to see Spring Awakening!" She starts singing and jumping in happiness.

"I told her you had to do your homework."

"What? Why? It's Friday mum! I want to go, please, please, pleaaase."

"You have to do your homework well, so the teacher…"

"But I will! Please, mom? Please?" Beth insists, as Quinn knew she would, and puts a puppy dog eyes to her mother. Quinn finally laughs.

"I was just messing with you. I told her we're going."

Beth stops where she is and Quinn looks back.

"That's not funny, mum. Not funny at all."

"You're so dramatic…" Quinn laughs at her daughter while pulling her into walking again. "Now let's go home. Today Auntie Brit let me get a bigger break so we can stop by home and get you changed."

"Cool."

"Then we have to go back and close the office. We'll have dinner and after that, we'll go to the theatre."

"Hey, Rachel. You look nervous." Rachel is applying nervously lots of makeup to her arm.

"Hi Andrew." Rachel hides her arm behind her back and turns to him. "Are you ready yet?"

"Yes. And you?"

"Almost."

Quinn and Beth arrive at the theatre and walk directly to the entrance, to a young man checking the tickets.

"Good evening, ladies. Your tickets, please?"

"I believe Rachel Berry has reserved us seats?"

"Names?"

"Quinn and Beth Fabray." The man flashes a smile and makes signs to a woman inside, who comes to meet them.

"Good evening and welcome. My name is Susan. Please, follow me and I will show you to your seats." Both of them follow silently. "These are your seats. Would you like something else? A drink? A snack?"

"No thanks." They say at the same time.

"Ok. I'll be around in case you like something. Enjoy the show."

"Thank you." Susan goes away.

"Mom! These seats are awesome." Beth turns around, looking up to the rows and rows of people behind them. "Remember when we came last?"

"Of course, Beth."

"We were up there, far behind."

"That was the best I could do, sweetie." Quinn says, troubled.

"Don't worry, mom. At least we came." She turns around again and flashes a huge thankful smile at her mom.

Lights are turned off and Rachel takes the stage, singing 'Mamma who bore me'. As she finishes the first song, she spots them and winks at them.

"This is going to be awesome." Beth smiles as she claps furiously. Quinn by her side, clapping just as furiously, feeling some tickling all over her body.


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters._

_A/N: I'm doing some extra studying for a couple of exams coming up next week. Hope I can keep on writing and delivering on time this story. As always, thank you for your reviews and your support _

**CHAPTER – 7**

The play finishes and the people start getting out of the building. Beth gets her things and starts following them.

"Wait!" Says a voice over the stage. "Come this way." Beth stares at Rachel in surprise. The tiny brunette has changed into her clothes and is motioning both of them to follow her up onto the stage.

Quinn gives a little push to Beth and she starts walking through the stage and towards Rachel. She grabs Beth's hand and guides her.

"Did you like it?" She asks.

"Yes!" Beth answer excited. "It was awesome. I love your voice. I wish I could sing like that."

"You know? I haven't heard you sing yet, but I'm pretty sure you got some your mother's voice and she sings really well." She looks back at Quinn and smiles.

"Yeah. She has a great voice. And daddy also sings very well." Rachel looks back to Beth who reminds her of Puck and his version of Sweet Caroline, which he dedicated her, and nods.

"You see? It runs in the family."

They go back the stage, to the dressing rooms. Some of the actors are getting rid of their makeup and getting ready to leave. Rachel makes a round of presentations and Beth is just delighted. They talk a little with all of them, but they leave soon because it's late and they're tired.

They go out to the street and Quinn insists on Rachel taking the same cab as they're. They go first to Rachel's hotel, talking about everything and nothing along the way. As they are approaching, Rachel takes a look out the cab's window. The streets are quiet. A few people are walking in the night. She spots a man by the hotel's entrance. He is just there leaning against the wall, smoking a cigarette and watching the people and the cars.

He is mostly in the dark, but she could recognize him anywhere. She panics.

"Don't stop here." She tells the driver. "Keep on driving, please." She turns again to look out the window.

"Sure. Where?"

"What's up, Rachel?" Quinn asks, while she tries to look out Rachel's window. She spots the man in the shadows and then she understands. "Brooklyn." She tells the driver.

"What?" Rachel asks.

"You can't go back there. Not now anywhere. You're staying tonight with us."

"Yes!" Beth screams happily, oblivious to the reason this was happening. "Sleepover!"

"I can't, Quinn." Rachel says troubled. "I don't want to bother you." She is fully aware she can't go back to that hotel, but she doesn't have much on her at the moment. All her stuff is at her room.

"You're coming and that's it. Also, you won't bother us. You'll sleep in the couch." She states as she smiles trying to reassure her.

"Ok then." Rachel smiles back, thankful.

They arrive to their destination and Rachel beats Quinn to pay the driver.

"Hey!" She says angry.

"You're doing enough for me as it is. I'm not letting you pay for the ride."

They make their way up the stairs and into the loft.

"It's not much, but it's enough for us." Quinn shows Rachel around the loft and Beth shows her her room. She enjoys showing her the DVD collection, most of them musicals and the CDs. "Beth, why don't you get into your pajamas?" She finally interrupts her and frees Rachel.

"Ok, mommy."

Rachel follows Quinn back to her room and she starts looking in the drawers. She finally pulls out an extra pajamas and gives it to her.

"I'm not sure it'll fit properly" Quinn says.

"It will do. Thank you." Rachel replies and goes into the bathroom to get changed. When she comes out, the pants are too long and she has to be careful not to fall.

Beth is already in the living room flipping through the channels on the TV. Rachel sits by her side on the sofa.

"Is there something good on?"

"Hmm, let's see… in this channel, Mean Girls is on." She shrugs.

"Have you ever seen it?" Rachel asks.

"I don't think so."

"What? Never? It's hilarious!"

"Ok then. Let's watch it."

Quinn gets on her pajamas and gets to the living room a while after.

"Mom, you're wearing sweatpants. It's Saturday."

Quinn arches her eyebrow, not knowing what the hell her daughter is saying.

"Yes Quinn, that's against the rules, you can't sit with us." Rachel adds.

Quinn still doesn't have a clue of what it's going on, until she looks to the TV and she joins the girls who are already laughing.

They make some popcorn and watch the rest of the film, laughing on and on. When the movie finishes, Beth is already asleep, resting her head on Rachel's lap while she caresses her hair. Quinn stands up.

"Well, I think it's time she goes to bed." She takes her gently from the sofa and carries her to her bedroom. She leaves her on the bed, covers her and kisses her forehead. She returns to the living room and Rachel is now watching some late show on the TV.

"Hey." She sits by her side on the sofa. "Aren't you tired? It's been a long day" She says.

"I know. It's been crazy" Rachel smiles.

"Yes, it is." She pauses. "Are you ok, though?"

"I'm pretty good actually." She smiles. "I know this is not the best situation." She elaborates. "I've been kind of kick out of my house and the hotel room I was staying out." She says with a sad look. "But I thought I was alone. And as it has turned out, I've got the best brand new friend."

Quinn smiles and squeezes Rachel's hand, leaving it after, in the same place.

"And you? Aren't you tired?"

"Actually, yes." Quinn is resting her head in the sofa, with her eyes close. Rachel rests hers too and they both fall silent for a while.

"You know?" Rachel says quietly, with her eyes also closed. "You're so lucky…"

"Why?" Quinn says, not opening her eyes.

"You've got an amazing little person who will always be with you. I envy you." Quinn squeezes again Rachel's hand in response.

Rachel feels that she can't fight the sleep anymore. "Quinn?"

"Huh?" Quinn doesn't answers from somewhere in between her dreams.

"You've got a bigger bed. Just in case you would want to use it."

"Mmm… 'kay" Quinn says, as she turns to the other side of the sofa, searching for a better position, not letting go of Rachel's hand.

Rachel turns off the TV, covers the two of them with a blanket and falls asleep in a second.


	8. Chapter 8

_Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters._

CHAPTER – 8

Rachel wakes up. Her body aches, a lot, specially her neck. It seems like a truck has run over her during the night. She feels a pressure in her side that wasn't there the night before. She opens her eyes and looks at her back slowly to find Quinn resting there.

She's asleep. Rachel can tell because she's breathing slowly. The brunette tries to go back to sleep some more, but now she is awfully aware of Quinn's chest going up and down against her back as she breathes. As she thinks about it, she feels her body suddenly heating up. She doesn't know why it is, but she is getting really uncomfortable with how comfortable she feels with Quinn not respecting at all her personal space, so she decides to get up. She succeeds and leaves Quinn still sleeping, laying on the sofa.

She goes to the bathroom and splashes some water on her face. Then she goes back to the living room and enters the kitchen. She grabs a glass of water and opens the fridge, an idea coming to her mind. She smiles to herself, leaves the glass, gets to the bathroom and put her clothes on.

"Beth…" A quiet voice tries to shake the girl out of her sleep, but she ignores it. "Beth!" The voice is getting pretty insisting. Beth turns to her side. "Beth!" This time a shake goes with the voice and the girl can't ignore it anymore.

"Huh?" She says, slowly coming out her dreams. She rubs her eyes with both hands and she finally starts opening her eyes to see the tiny form sitting by her side.

"Beth! You're awake!" Says an over excited Rachel.

"That's what happens if you wake up someone. They're awake!" Beth says resentful.

"Sorry for that, but I really need your help."

"For what?"

"We're going to make pancakes!" Rachel exclaims and Beth smiles. "But we've got to be very quiet, because your mother is still sleeping in the couch."

"In the couch?"

"Yeah. We kind of fell asleep there watching TV after she carried you to your bed." Rachel exits Beth's bedroom and goes back to the kitchen.

She starts filling the coffee maker with water and coffee.

"Don't" Beth whispers coming out of her room.

"Why?" Rachel asks confused.

"I'll show you later. Let's do the pancakes first."

"Ok." She looks directly at Beth. "I need you to do me a favor. Crack the eggs open and beat them. I can't do it." She says with a troubled look.

"I'll do it, but why can't you?" She asks curious.

"I would keep having nightmares about the baby chicks' mothers coming after me."

"When you're finished, I'll help you."

"But… they're still eggs."

"Yeah, but they don't seem like they are anymore. I can handle that."

"You're weird." Beth states.

"Yeah, maybe."

They get working on, trying to be as quiet as possible, but it seems Quinn could sleep through an earthquake. Rachel starts laughing because Beth has flour over her pajamas and then she throws some at Rachel. The brunette is ready to get her revenge on the tiny blonde, but Quinn moves in her sleep and mumbles something. They freeze. When they are sure she is again in a deep sleep, they laugh quietly and keep going.

They finish cooking and set the table up.

"Now we can make the coffee…"

They turn the coffee maker on and Beth rushes Rachel to the other side of the room. They stand just in front of the couch where Quinn is sleeping and just watch. As the coffee starts falling into the pot, Quinn's nose starts moving following the smell in a way Rachel's mind can only qualify as utterly cute. After just seconds, Quinn opens sits, as guided by the smell and opens her eyes.

"What are you doing there?" She says in a husky voice.

"Good morning, mum!"

"Good morning, Quinn. We were just watching the amazing development of your sense of smell for coffee."

"What?"

"Quinn, you could sleep through an earthquake but wake up when coffee is made within two miles."

She shrugs and rubs her eyes with the back of her hand. She turns around and sees the mess in the kitchen and the table perfectly set.

"Come on. Let's eat or the pancakes will get cold."

"Pancakes? Rachel, you didn't have to…"

"I don't care." Rachel cuts her. She walks toward the coffee maker and turns it off. She grabs a cup and pours some coffee in it. "Come on Fabray!" She hands her the cup and she sips it.

"Oh… I love you." Quinn says. Rachel is not sure if she has said it to the coffee or to her for providing, but she flushes anyway.

They get to the table and they serve themselves some pancakes. Quinn takes a bite.

"Ooohh…" Quinn says with her mouth full, eyes closed and in deep concentration. Rachel looks at Beth, who starts to laugh, so she does too.

"She is like in love or something with food." Beth explains. "Her stomach is like a bottomless pit." They laugh. Quinn swallows, takes a sip of coffee.

"Hey. You did this to me kiddo." She points to the little blonde accusingly. "I didn't have this need for food back then. Tell her, Rachel."

"Yeah. Sue Sylvester made her live only on protein shakes." Beth looks at Rachel in disbelief.

"That isn't true. I had a very healthy diet." Tries to defend Quinn.

"That explains why she looks so skinny on the old pictures." Beth ignores her mother's comment.

"I do not!" Quinn says.

"Yes you do, mum. I've got an idea." Beth jumps from her chair and runs to her mother's bedroom.

"You're a bad person." Quinn says with an angry look to an amused Rachel. She stands up and walks to the kitchen to get a refill. Rachel can't contain herself and checks her bottom as she walks.

"I'm not. You've got to admit that you look pretty good now." Quinn turns around and catches Rachel checking her out. Both of them blush and Rachel looks to something really interesting in her cup. "Although, I wouldn't know about that…"

Beth comes out of Quinn's bedroom and gets a ladder from the closet. Rachel, grateful for the interruption, follows her.

"Hey. Be careful Beth. You could fall, let me do it."

Quinn fills her cup and goes to check on the two girls. Rachel is getting the box from the top shelf of her closet. It amuses her that the tiny brunette has to use the ladder to get it, when she can do it perfectly without it. She isn't laughing about Rachel's height. It's just… kind of cute.

"_Cute? What does the coffee have? It's affecting me."_


	9. Chapter 9

_Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters._

_A/N: I'm finally done with my exams for now, though that means I'm back at classes. But I'm sure that won't stop my writing, there's many time to be bored and think about the next chapter. As always, I can't thank you enough for the support. I keep having reviews and subscriptions that make me be eager to keep writing for this awesome shipper._

**CHAPTER – 9**

The brunette takes down the box and gives it to Beth, who leaves it over Quinn's bed, and sits beside her. She opens the box.

"Mum has all the photos and memories of Lima in this box. I've told her to hang some of them around, but she doesn't want to. She's stubborn."

Rachel sits by Beth's side and looks at Quinn, standing in the door. Their eyes meet. Rachel understands that Lima brings bad memories into the blonde's mind. She knows how hard it was for her those last years, when she got pregnant and Beth was born. But she can only imagine what happened next. When she told her mother she wanted to keep her. If she moved back into the Fabray's house…

"Look! A picture of mom and dad." Rachel has to look away from those hazel eyes but they do reluctantly. She looks back to Beth and the photo she's handing her.

As the girl said, Puck and Quinn are there. Puck is in a black suit, white shirt and black tie. Quinn is… wow. Rachel remembers she has to breathe and swallows a little too loudly. Quinn is wearing a white with little black spots knee length dress, strapless and with a black lace in her waist. It adjusts perfectly to her body. Her hair is collected and a few strands fall on her cheeks. Rachel tries to concentrate now on her expression. Puck is smiling happily, but she can tell Quinn's smile isn't as happy. It looks… forced.

Rachel is so caught up in the photo in her hands that she doesn't notice Quinn until she feels a hand on her back. A shiver runs through her body. She peaks behind and sees that Quinn is now sitting behind her and it's watching the photos leaning over her shoulder.

"That was prom night." She informs.

"You look beautiful." Rachel whispers, because it is the prettiest thing she's ever seen.

"And Dad looks pretty good, too. But I don't like the Mohawk. He looks better now." Rachel nods to the little girl and keeps staring to the picture.

Quinn's bare arms are cross awkwardly and suddenly, all Rachel can notice is the bruise in her right arm that her left hand can't hide completely. She opens her mouth in surprise and Quinn takes the photo from her.

"What happened to your arm, Quinn?" Rachel asks.

Quinn tries to look away and takes another photo. "What? I don't remember, it was ages ago. Hey look at this one."

"Quinn?" Rachel looks at her in a way that suggests she is not giving up on this.

"I think… I think I fell."

"Okay…" Rachel looks at Beth and nods. It's not the time to keep pushing.

They keep watching photos. Laughing at the clothes they used to wear, now old fashioned.

"Rachel, you went to high school with mom, right?"

"Yes."

"So how it comes you're not in any of the pictures?"

"We went to the same school, but we were not…" Rachel tries to find an explanation. Yes, Quinn and she went to the same school but they were never friends. In fact, at first they were kind of enemies. And now…

"We didn't hang out together or anything, but we were friends." Interrupts Quinn, looking at Rachel. "At the end. You know, Beth? When you are happy, you've got many people around. When things don't go so well, only real friends stay. I wasn't always nice to her, but when things got tough, she was there for me. I really appreciated that."

Beth looks at both of them, who are locked into each other's eyes.

"Uh-huh…" She nods although she hasn't understood most of it. She looks around and her eyes set on a photo in the night table. "Hey. Here is another photo from high school. This wasn't on the box." The girls look at her. "Look" She points with her finger. "Mom, dad, aunties Brit and San…" Rachel points at the short girl in the front.

"That's me!"

Beth looks to the picture and back to Rachel. And again.

"You've changed a lot."

"Yeah. She knows about fashion now." Quinn says, pointing at her outfit on the photo, mockingly. Rachel just sticks her tongue out and they all laugh. When they stop, Quinn points to her belly. "And that's you, sweetie."

Beth smiles happily and puts the photo back in the night table. Rachel looks at the clock besides it.

"I have to go." She stands up and walks to the bathroom.

"It's Saturday morning. Where are you going?" Quinn screams.

"Hotel!" A single voice comes from the bathroom. Then she comes out again, wearing the same clothes as last night. "I've got to get my things back and find a new temporarily place to live."

"Stay here!" Beth says and she dazzles her with a huge pleading smile.

"But…" Rachel doesn't know Beth's powers. Quinn knows that she'll bat her eyelashes with her wondering eyes, begging for her to stay and a little pout on her mouth. She does. Rachel looks speechless. She looks at Quinn and the blonde is able to mimic her daughter's expression without laughing.

"You're bad." Rachel says defeated to both of them. Beth looks back to her mother and they grin in amusement.

"Are you going out like that?" Quinn asks.

"Yes… why?" She asks, looking at herself, just in case something is wrong with her outfit.

"Same clothes you wore yesterday. Walk of shame." Rachel flushes. Quinn loves it.

"Well… I… I have nothing more to wear and anything you could lend me would fit me as well as the pajamas. It's only for the ride." She rambles. "Speaking of which…" She reaches for her phone and calls a cab. "Ten minutes."

Quinn jumps out of the bed and grabs a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

"Go to your room and put something on. We're going to the hotel. Fast!" Beth exits her mom's room running.

"Quinn, you don't have to come." Rachel says, implying a 'he won't be there'.

"We don't have anything better to do. And you want expect me…" She pulls down her pajama trousers and Rachel can't help looking down her long legs and swallowing for a second, before meeting Quinn's eyes again. "… to clean up all that mess in the kitchen." She put her jeans on and enters the bathroom.

A couple of minutes after, she comes back. Her t-shirt on and her hair combed. Beth comes back running too.

"Let's go."


	10. Chapter 10

_Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters._

_A/N: Extra long chapter today. Hope you enjoy it. Thank you for all the reviews and support._

**CHAPTER – 10**

"Oh, god! What the hell do you carry in these bags?" Quinn lets the bag she is carrying fall into the living room floor.

"Clothes, lots of shoes, personal care products, photos, some essentials on my CD collection I just couldn't leave behind…"

"Rachel… I was just making a point."

"Oh." She says and with a sad smile. "It's my whole life packed in a couple of bags."

Quinn looks down and her face also saddens.

"Anyway..." The brunette changes the subject. "Beth?"

"Hmm?"

"We've got a cleaning mission!" She says enthusiastically.

"That's not so cool…" And they march to the kitchen.

"This place looks worse than that time your mom and your dad offered to do the baking for the bake sale."

"You remember that?" Quinn sits near the counter, watching the girls work.

"I do. I remember you two going to change yourselves, Mr. Shue blaming us for the mess and making us clean."

"In my defense I'll say it was fun." The blonde says quickly.

"Wait, change yourselves? What were you doing?" Beth interrupts.

"Yes. It was something like…" Quinn reaches the pack of flour with her left hand she gestures something with her right hand. She takes a handful and throws it over them. They're mouths pop open in surprise.

"Oh my god. My eyes!" Rachel starts shaking her hands, trying to get the flour off them and clean them. Quinn worries, turns around the counter and tries to clean her eyes with a cloth.

"You know?" Rachel asks as she finally opens her eyes, her brown eyes against her white face and head.

"What?" Quinn asks worried.

"Milk is very good for the hair." And as she ends the sentence she pours some milk from the bottle into her blonde hair. Quinn can't be more surprised and Rachel thinks it's hilarious. She really didn't see that one coming. Quinn turns around and grabs the packet of sugar, pouring it down the brunette.

"Huh?" Rachel gets the cream spray and covers Quinn in it. They can't stop laughing while they're fighting. Suddenly, someone clears her throat and they freeze. Quinn's hand is on Rachel's trying to stop the cream; while Rachel's other hand is at Quinn's back trying to take the sugar pack from her. They both look at the sound's source. Beth is sitting on the other side of the counter.

"I don't think this is funny... I'm going to change and I'm not cleaning this mess up. It's your fault." She jumps from the chair and storms out of the room.

As they are left alone, they slowly turn to face each other and discover that they are so close they can feel the heat coming from the other's body.

"Peace?" Rachel says trembling, catching her breath.

"Peace." Quinn grants, but doesn't let go for a few seconds making sure she won't come back at her. Then she lets go and touches the milk in her hair. "Uhg."

"It is true milk is good for the hair."

"It's disgusting."

"But you were right. It was fun." Rachel smiles and Quinn does too. She steals a look to the bathroom and watches Beth going back to her room. Quinn notices.

"Oh no. I've got milk in my head. I'm first." They both run to the bathroom door.

"I've got to go to work. I won't be long, I promise." Rachel ducks under Quinn's arms and enters the bathroom, almost closing the door completely. She looks at Quinn with begging eyes. She rolls her eyes.

"Okay. Hurry up." She opens again the bathroom door and kisses her cheek quickly.

"You're sweet." She says, tasting the cream now in her lips. Rachel closes the door and Quinn stands in front of the closed door, smiling stupidly.

After a couple of minutes, Quinn hears the water run and shakes her head. "_What the hell are you doing, Fabray?"_

Rachel stands just under the shower. With her eyes closed she feels how the hot water touches every part of her body relaxing her muscles. She lets the water clean the flour and the sugar off her skin and washes her hair carefully. Suddenly, she hears the door opening and she stiffens. She peeks from behind the curtain, covering herself and she sees the messy blonde leaving some clean towels with a hand over her eyes. Rachel laughs.

"Stop that. You're going to trip over something." Unconsciously, she readjusts the curtain so nothing else is exposed as Quinn gets her hand off her eyes.

"I was just bringing some towels for you."

"Thank you, Quinn."

"Now, get out fast. This thing is itching in my head."

"It can't itch." Rachel says while she goes back to showering herself.

"Just so you know, I'm trying it some day on you. When you are not expecting it. I'll be there. With a bottle of milk in my hand." Quinn says in a menacing tone. The silent that follows is only broken by the water falling. "Are you scared?"

"No. I'm just biting on my hand so I don't laugh." Rachel hears a grunt and the door closing again, so she gets out of the shower.

When she exits the bathroom, wrapped in the towel, Quinn is almost done with the kitchen. She notices the brunette and smiles at her.

Quinn watch how the towel only covers a limited portion of the tiny brunette and let her eyes wonder from her feet to her wet hair in a quick movement. She really doesn't know what it's going on with her body today. It keeps getting hot in the room and she seems the only one to notice.

"Your turn." Rachel makes a gesture with her hand and walks to the bedroom. Quinn gets in the shower and makes the cold water fall over her.

When Quinn gets out the bathroom, the picture is a little different. Rachel is already dressed and she is setting the table to have lunch. The brunette notices her and this time she is the one to have a quick look at Quinn's body only covered by a towel. She starts by her long legs and goes up, finally reaching a smiling face which gives her a little wink. She tries to look away, rearranging the napkins on the table. Quinn comes back later already dressed and they have lunch.

"You know, if you keep doing this, I'm going to get used and not cook at all."

"Well, if you like what I cook, then it won't be a problem for me."

"Mom, can I go watch Rachel to the theatre today too?" Beth asks. Quinn looks at the brunette.

"It was not my idea. But I wouldn't mind at all."

"We were there yesterday; you can't invite us every day. And, anyway, I've got to study, for real." Quinn explains. Rachel looks to Beth who is already pouting.

"Would you let her come with me? She will help us in the backstage." Quinn thinks about it.

"Mommy?" Beth begs.

"Ok… but don't get used to it, Beth." She points her daughter. "And you… you are spoiling her."

"I know." Rachel says, sticking out her tongue.

"Don't be too late, ok? Tomorrow we are visiting Santana and Brittany." Quinn hands her a set of keys.

"'We' as in you two, right?" Rachel asks wary, taking the keys.

"Well, since I recall you only have one show tomorrow and it's late, no. You are invited too and we probably spend the day over there." Rachel looks scared. "She doesn't bite, you know?" The brunette makes a face. "Anymore." Quinn adds. "And I already told them you were coming."

"Perfect." Rachel says not sure at all.

Both girls leave and Quinn gets on with her study. She starts with some math and solves a few problems in the living room table, but just as the hours past, she feels her back hurting, so she lies on her bed reading a book about management. After a while she notices the picture on her night desk, the Glee Club one. However, this time it's not the only photo there. She picks it up and finds the one with Puck and herself on prom night in her house. In that house…

Rachel and Beth come back a little too late.

"Don't tell your mum we went to get an ice cream, ok?" Rachel whispers and Beth nods silently. "Go and brush your teeth, I'm going to check on her and tell her a tiny lie."

The brunette enters Quinn's bedroom and finds the little lamp over the night table on and Quinn's body trembling on the bed, curled over herself. She hears a low sob and she freaks out. She gets close to the bed and tries to meet her teary eyes.

"Quinn. Are you ok?" She whispers as she touches Quinn's arm. "Are you hurt?" Quinn shakes her head negatively. Rachel's hand travels down Quinn's arm and finds her hand. She's clutching a photo.

"Mum?" Rachel hears Beth from outside the room. She leaves Quinn's side and walks outside.

"She's asleep. She fell asleep studying." She whispers.

"Oh… ok. I was only going to tell her goodnight anyway… Goodnight Rachel." She turns around.

"Goodnight sweetie." She makes sure Beth is off for the night, changes into her pajamas and goes back to Quinn. She gets on the bed and lies beside Quinn. She doubts for a moment, but then she turns to the curled up body and hugs her back.

Under her arms, Rachel feels the blonde shaking in more sobs and she considers pulling out, but as she tries to, Quinn's sobs get louder, so she decides against it. In fact, she pulls herself closer, crosses her arms around her stomach and whispers to Quinn's ear.

"It's ok… It's ok…"

After a while, the sobs cease. Quinn tries to dry out her eyes with her hands.

"Are you alright?" Rachel whispers.

"I think so." She turns around to face her and shows her again the prom night picture. "My dad took it. We were in my house."

"I thought your parents were divorcing when I left."

"They were. He came back, begging. I told my mother not to listen to him, that things would be okay for a week and then everything would go back to the way they were. But she took him back in anyway and, after a week, it was worst than before."

"Did he…?" Rachel doesn't end the question, but gestures towards her arm.

"Yes." She answers, not meeting her eyes for a while. She turns around and takes the same position as before, motioning Rachel to keep hugging her, which she does gladly. The brunette crosses her arms around Quinn again and she puts her hands over Rachel's, preventing them from letting go.

She doesn't feel alone anymore. She feels protected. She feels safe. She feels her muscles relax and she starts to fall asleep.

Rachel sinks her face in the blonde's hair and breathes the sweet smell of her shampoo. It's really soft. She smiles against it remembering the milk she poured on her. She feels the blonde finally relaxing in her arms and her breathing slowing down. And so does hers as she falls asleep too.


	11. Chapter 11

_Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters._

_A/N: Another chapter! This took me a little bit longer, I know, but I have classes and homework and… you know, college stuff! what can I do? I hope next chapter won't take me so long. In the next, they will finally meet with Brittany and Santana, because I know you wanted some Brittana… Enjoy!_

**CHAPTER – 11**

As the sun rises, the light, peeking between the curtains, finds Rachel and Quinn asleep. Rachel is the first to wake up. She feels something pressing her down to the mattress, wrapping her. Her first thought is of terror, but the pressure shifts over her tiny body, brushing some soft hair against her face and a little hand reassures its hold onto Rachel's waist, firm but gentle.

She now remembers where she is and what happened last night. She remembers her crying and she flinches. She looks around the room and finally at the situation on the bed. Quinn's head is over Rachel's shoulder and her arms wrapped around her waist. Clearly, the girl has a thing for invading her personal space.

She considers moving away from that position. However, she is pretty comfortable as she is right now and Quinn smells really well. She shifts her head so she can sink her face on the blonde's hair. _Either way_, she thinks, _I don't have any of my training equipment here_. So, finally, she decides against it and puts her arms around her as well.

After a while, Quinn starts to move over Rachel's tiny body. Rachel sees it, but closes her eyes quickly enough. Quinn's hair brushes on her cheek as she raises her head.

Quinn opens her eyes and sees the brunette in her arms. She smiles unconsciously at the prettiness of the asleep little diva. She gets her hands off Rachel's waist and lifts herself onto her elbow. She gets another sight of the woman from this position. She slowly caresses the way up Rachel's arm and cups her cheek with her right hand.

Rachel tries to fight the sweet tingles she is feeling on her arms, even if Quinn's hand is long gone, and she tries to fight the warm softness on her cheek. However, the one thing that she can not battle against is knowing her hazel eyes are on her right now, watching her hair all messed up and her just waken-up ugly face.

Quinn's hazel eyes are, in fact, fixed on her, but the adjectives 'messed up' or 'ugly' don't come up in the blonde's thought. She is too busy admiring her to think those things. After a while, Quinn notices the weirdness of just staring a people sleep so, she leans over her, kisses her cheek and gets off the bed.

For a moment, Rachel freezes, trying not to make a sound that will reveal that she's been awake the whole time. Her cheeks get really hot; she tightens and stops breathing until she is certain Quinn has leave. Then, she turns around and sinks her face on the pillow. Quinn finds her right in that position when she comes back to wake her up.

"Rach…" She says while shaking her shoulder gently. "Hey Rach."

She opens her eyes and gives her a little smile.

"Good morning."

"Good morning. Do you want some coffee?" She shows her a cup and Rachel grabs it almost immediately.

"Sure."

"Adults thing with the coffee is sick. I'm never going to drink that, it tastes awful. I like better my chocolate milk." Beth says from the bedroom door.

"I'll get you in a few years, kiddo." Beth makes a face over the last word and walks out.

Rachel sits on the bed with her cup of coffee and watches her leave amused. The phone rings and Beth answers. Quinn sits by Rachel's side with her own cup of coffee and they hear Beth screaming.

"Daddy!"

"Well. This is going to be long."

"Noah having a conversation for more than five minutes. Does Beth like videogames?"

"Well. It's not like he has the chance to speak too much..." They sit in silence and listen to the conversation.

"Yes daddy. Rachel Berry is living with us for a while." "I don't know who that is. Rachel Berry is staying with us. You must know her; you were in Glee Club with her. She is totally awesome. She works in the musical mum and I went to watch on Broadway. She invited us the other night and we had the best seats. And yesterday, mum was studying and Rachel took me there and I was backstage helping. I loved it so much…"

"I think I start to get what you mean." Rachel leaves the cup on the night bed and stretches. Then she watches the clock and lies again on the bed. "Can I sleep some more?"

"No. I'm making breakfast and we have to leave in a couple hours." Rachel grunts and hides her face under the pillow, pressing it with her hands to her head. Quinn looks at her and an idea occurs to her as she spots the tiny space between her t-shirt and her shorts.

Quinn leaves her cup besides Rachel's and with a quick hand she tickles that spot. Rachel jumps and laughs and Quinn continues the tickling. Rachel tries to get up and tickle back but Quinn has her bent over laughing.

The brunette grabs the pillow and hits the blonde with her.

"Ha! It's on, Berry." She leaves the tickling and grabs another pillow.

"This is war!" Rachel says hitting her again.

They hit, they fight, but they can't stop laughing.

"I really thought these things were just for kids and you were grown-ups."

They stop fighting and stare at Beth. Quinn turns again, facing Rachel and arches an eyebrow. Rachel smiles knowingly. They both step out the bed innocently. Beth turns around and walks back to the living room, but two pairs of arms grab her and pins her on the bed, where they tickle every inch of her skin.


	12. Chapter 12

_Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters._

_A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing._

**CHAPTER – 12**

"I knew we were going to be late…" Quinn says rushing through the streets of an outskirts New York neighborhood.

"It wasn't my fault; I was ready when you started your little fight and Dad only called to tell me he'll be visiting next weekend, so we weren't that long." Both blondes eye the brunette accusingly.

"Don't blame me! I was just having coffee and I got attacked."

"So what are we telling Santana?" Quinn resolves.

Rachel stops, brings her hands to her face and says dramatically. "'Please don't slushie me.'"

Quinn rolls her eyes and Beth arches an eyebrow, then Rachel keeps walking and they laugh.

"You know those times passed, right? We're not in high school anymore."

"What is a slushie, anyway?"

"As your mom said, we're not in high school anymore. It doesn't matter now." Rachel says looking at Quinn.

"We're here!" Beth starts to run to the white picket fence around a huge white house. Rachel just stares. Quinn stops by her side.

"It's so beautiful..."

"I know. Wait until you see the inside." Rachel thinks that it's just inevitable now. She gulps while she remembers the last time she saw Santana and Brittany.

_It was on the last day of school; they had lost at Regionals and were sad until Mr. Shue told them they had another year of Glee. She was getting her things from her locker and the two of them walked through the corridor with their pinkies linked._

_"Fellow glee clubbers, I hope you two have a great summer and I'll be seeing you after the summer. I encourage you to do the vocal exercises I taught you at least three times a week so you won't lose practice."_

_Santana rolled her eyes and Brittany was just too busy looking at her nails._

_"Stop it Man Hands, you're not giving me orders, ok? Bye RuPaul." She pulls from Brittany and they walk away, leaving her hurt and alone in the corridor._

"It's ok…" Rachel comes back to reality and finds the blonde facing her, trying to reassure her with a hand on her waist. "Like I said, we're not in high school anymore" She moves her other hand and cups her cheek. That reminds Rachel of what happened in the morning and secretly hopes she'll kiss her next. "And… now, I'm by your side." Those last words seem to come in a whisper from Quinn's lips but carry so much weight in them. Rachel's eyes fix on Quinn's and looks for something in her eyes, something to let her know she's as confused as she is.

"Hi Beth! Come give me a hug!" Quinn and Rachel come out of their bubble when they hear the voices.

"Hi Britt!" Beth jumps in her arms and hugs her. She finally put her on the floor and Beth walks by. "Hi San!" The latina is just behind the blonde.

"Beth!" Beth hugs her legs and Santana brushes the blonde hair. She looks out the door. "Hey, what are you two doing? Come on inside or I'll kick your asses." Santana looks serious and Rachel gulps. The latina shoots a playfully smile at the reaction and adds. "You know, the food is getting cold and I'm too hungry to let that happen."

Quinn shoots her a glare Santana notices but chooses to ignore.

"Great! I'm hungry too! I couldn't have anything for breakfast before we had to come."

"Why?" Brittany asks.

"Mum and Rachel were having a tickling and pillow fight and when I told them it was for kids they attacked me."

"Did they? Huh…" Brittany shares a look with Santana and then they look at the two women coming in. They finally reach them. "Welcome!" Brittany hugs Rachel. "I couldn't believe it when Quinn told me you were in the office. It's been so long! It's nice to see you again."

"Yeah. It's nice to see you too. I was so surprised when Quinn told me you had your own law firm." She tries to find something to say without implying she always thought of her as a pretty dumb cheerio.

"I was like the dumbest girl in school back then, right?"

"You… I didn't…" Rachel mumbles. Brittany puts a hand on her shoulder and smiles. "Yeah. Kind of."

Brittany goes back to her position beside Santana, resting her arm effortlessly around her waist, and the latina shakes Rachel's hand.

"Long time no see, Berry. What have you been up to?" They go into the house and to the living room, painted in cream with a simple decoration that makes the room cozy.

"I've been doing some things over here, some over there…"

"She works in a musical in Broadway. She plays one of the main characters."

"Wow, Berry. That's great." Santana walks towards the door on the right.

"Yes, I guess so. How about you? I know Brittany is a lawyer. What have you been up to?"

"I studied psychology and I've got a couple of patients who pay pretty well." She answers. Rachel tries to imagine the methods the latina she remembers would use. "Do you girls want something to drink?"

"A soda."

"Juice!"

"Berry?"

"A soda too, please."

"Ok, two sodas and a juice. Britt, why don't you show Berry around? Quinn, would you mind helping me?" Santana gets in the kitchen and starts getting things out of the fridge. Quinn follows her and disappears, leaving Brittany, Rachel and Beth alone.

"So… why don't we start upstairs?"

"Ok…"

"So, what's up with you and Berry?"

"I knew you wouldn't ask for help, you just wanted to interrogate me."

"Well, you've known me for years, you should have seen it coming earlier. Shoot, Fabray."

"I don't know what you want me to tell you, don't you dare to psychoanalyze me."

"I'll speak only as a friend."

"I came across Rachel at the office, she needs Brittany's services. She didn't even know Britt owned the firm." She smiles. "I called her and we met to have a coffee."

"You… called her?"

"Yes… well, no."

"Yes or no?"

"I called her, but I didn't notice it was so late, so then I hung up. And she called me back again." She starts to ramble nervously.

"Oh my god. I can't believe this." Santana puts some glasses on the counter and smiles delighted.

"What?"

"You've got a thing for Berry."

"What? No…" She pauses. "No way."

"Oh, yes. And you know what? I think she could have a thing for you too."

"It's not possible. She's kind of married to a man. And I'm not gay."

"Well, I don't know about her marriage, but she is living with you. And when was the last time you had a date? Was it with Puck?"

"No. I've done a few dates… it's just… they were all morons."

"Whatever. Where is she sleeping? Last I checked, your loft was pretty small."

"In the couch." Quinn answers, looking to the floor. Her mind goes back to the couple of nights Rachel has spent at her house.

"I don't have to be a psychologist to notice my friend is lying in my face."

"The first night, she slept in the couch… but so did I. I fell asleep watching tv. And the second night, I was a little down, she comforted me and we fell asleep in my bed."

"Uh-huh." Santana nods as a winning smile sets in her face.

"I don't have a thing for her!" Quinn says.

"Girls, how are those drinks going?" They looked to the kitchen door and see the two blondes and Rachel reaching the room. Quinn blushes and starts to tremble. _"What if she heard me?"_


	13. Chapter 13

_Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters._

_A/N: I think it's time for the story to make some kind of development, this last chapters have been all fluff and no plot at all, and believe or not, I have some plot! Thank you for your reviews and subscriptions, and a special thank you to With_Good_Grace, my unofficial beta._

**CHAPTER – 13**

Rachel, Brittany and Beth go upstairs. They open the first room.

"This is Beth's room, for when she decides to stay the night." Beth enters the room, picks up a doll from the bed and starts playing with it. Brittany closes the door and they keep on the little tour.

"So… why did you drop by the office the other day?"

"I need some legal advice…"

"Well, I got that much."

"I will tell you on Wednesday, paying for my appointment. I don't want to bother you."

"Come on Rachel, tell me now. Maybe we can do some things before Wednesday."Brittany looks at her insistently and Rachel finally gives up.

"Ok… I want a divorce. I can't stand this anymore. But I'm scared. I'm really scared of him. I can't imagine how he will react. He'll kill me. That's why I was living in a hotel and ended up at Quinn's."

"Did he hit you?"

Rachel takes a deep breath and finally whispers, with tears in her eyes. "Yes."

"We need a medical report of the injuries."

"I… I've got one. When I left the house I had to go to the hospital, I had a broken rib." Rachel gets silent. Brittany reaches her arm and tries to comfort her.

"Ok. Just… send it to me and I will start the proceedings. I'll request an immediate restraining order first thing in the morning."

"I can't thank you enough."

"It's my job." Brittany looks at her clock. "It's been almost ten minutes; I think Santana will be done with Quinn." The blonde opens the door to Beth's room. "Hey Beth, let's go downstairs, you can play some more after we eat."

"Great." The little girl leaves the doll on the bed and runs downstairs.

"Done with her? What do you mean 'done with her'?" Rachel finishes processing and asks on their way down. Then they hear Quinn talking a little too loud.

"I don't have a thing for her!" Quinn says exasperated.

"Girls, how are those drinks going?" Brittany enters the kitchen followed by the other two girls and grabs a couple of the drinks on the counter. "Let's take this to the living room. And I'll set the table."

Neither Quinn nor Rachel seem to be able to look at each other. They are somehow embarrassed for a different number of reasons. Quinn is beating herself up over saying that so loud and she can't help but feeling a little pain in her heart at the thought of Rachel hearing it. In the other side, Rachel is embarrassed because she was getting her hopes up for something that she doesn't even understand.

The day goes on with a delicious meal and some light conversation which Rachel finds really entertaining and she gets to know another side of the ex cheerios she didn't know. Now, she can finally figure out the glue that holds the three girls together. She also discovers the sweet relationship Brittany and Santana share, although she isn't surprise at all because it was already sort of a secret out loud in high school. However, she is delighted to see that they don't try to hide it anymore and how good they are for each other. Her heart aches once more at the memory of the man she thought was the one for her.

She discovers a side of Santana that is less rude. Less rude is the way to describe it. She is a good person, but also a really straight forward one, although after studying psychology she's gained some self control.

They leave early and Rachel goes off to the theatre alone, after assuring Quinn she will be okay endless times. Quinn and Beth stay home. The little one does her homework and goes to bed early to get a good start for the new week. Quinn follows a little after. She goes to bed and all she can do is toss and turn. She tries drinking some warm milk but it doesn't help either. She blames the coffee she took after lunch, but she already knows that's not the reason.

Finally she hears the door cracking. The brunette tiptoes to the bathroom and gets changed and Quinn finds herself really thirsty. She tries to ignore the feeling, but her throat is unbelievably dry. She tells herself it would be really lame to go get a glass of water just when Rachel comes back. She turns again. She really is thirsty. She finally decides to go quickly, while she is still in the bathroom.

She tiptoes to the kitchen, grabs a glass and pours some water in. She turns around and she freezes as the bathroom door opens and the light discovers her on her way back. Caught.

"Hi"

"Hi there. I was just getting a glass of water. How was everything?"

"Good, as always." The brunette smiles.

"I think I'm going back to my room. Goodnight Rachel."

"Goodnight Quinn."

She goes back to her bed, but she still can't sleep. After a while, she regrets having the glass of water. She needs to go to the bathroom. She turns around, tries to forget it, but she can't. She finally tiptoes to the bathroom. On her way back, she hears something, some sort of mumbling.

"Huh?" She whispers.

"Are you having trouble sleeping?" Rachel whispers.

"Yes. I'm tired, but I can't sleep. It's really frustrating." She whispers back.

In the darkness of the night, she can make out a shadow moving forward, bending over a bag and coming at her with something.

"I've got this. It's a kind of relaxing incense. It always helps me." Rachel walks past her and into her bedroom. Quinn follows her. She finds the tiny brunette lighting the stick. It does smell good.

As the brunette turns around and tries to walk past her, back to the couch, Quinn takes her hand. Then, she takes a step towards the bed and turns around with wondering eyes, begging for the brunette to catch the message. She silently nods with a little smile and walks by her to the bed, where they lie down together, Quinn's hand still over Rachel's.

"I hate Santana." Quinn whispers, more to herself than anything.

"Why?" Rachel asks also whispering while accommodating herself.

"She knows how I feel before I even know it." Quinn says, closing her eyes. Rachel stares at her silently, assimilating the information, as Quinn's breath evens. She smiles at her angelical expression and caresses her cheek before falling asleep herself.

_A/N: I wrote this before going to bed and, funny enough, I wasn't able to sleep either._


	14. Chapter 14

_Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters._

_A/N: Ok, so here the story develops a little. I'm going away for the weekend, to the countryside, no internet, so I'm afraid I won't be able to post another chapter until at least, Monday. Sorry._

_Thank you for the reviews and the subscriptions that keep appearing on my inbox. And thank you to my beta __With_Good_Grace for her help and patience; this would suck even more without her._

**CHAPTER – 14**

Things are going great. Rachel's life with the blondes is turning to be very simple and just… easy. She is comfortable with how she's been fitted into the girl's routine and feels very happy, which is refreshing.

She is content about the way they interact. She absolutely adores little Beth. And with Quinn… well, she doesn't know where Quinn and she stand. At least, Rachel doesn't have to suffer from a backache everyday from sleeping on the sofa and as it has turned out, she is a great remedy for insomnia. However, the blonde is the cause of it for her. A few days Rachel has been watching her sleep until exhaustion has beaten her. She's scared of what she's been feeling lately. Thanks to Santana (who would have thought that) she now knows Quinn's feeling something too and it's not her imagination. Anyway, she doesn't want this thing to break, too many things have been broken lately in her life and she couldn't handle losing the blondes too. So she can't afford going for it.

She crosses the last street and she's finally at the school. One of her new tasks is to pick Beth up from school. Actually, nobody has asked her to do it, but she does it anyway. She doesn't want to be a burden and if this situation were to continue for some reason, she plans to pay at least her part of the rent.

She stops by the side of the principal door and looks at the time. She's a few minutes early. Then her telephone rings. She doesn't know the caller, but she answers it anyway.

"Hello?"

"_Hi, sweetheart."_

Rachel freezes.

"_You're not going to say you've missed me?"_

"How… how did you get this number?"

"_You didn't think you could get away that easy, right? You're still my wife!__"_ Rachel doesn't know what to say.

The bell rings and the kids start running out the school.

"_So… I received this funny envelope with some papers saying I can't get near my wife again, a court citation and something about a divorce. I don't remember much of them; I accidentally spilled my coffee over them and thr__ew them away. When are you going to get tired of them and come back home?"_

"Never."

"_What __did you say?"_

"I'm never coming back to you. It's over, Mark. I don't love you anymore. And even if I did, why would I go back to you? You treat me like shit." She says angrily and then falls silent. She doesn't know where this is coming from but she's said it and her voice didn't tremble.

"_That's what you think? Well, you don't think I'm letting you leave me so eas__ily, right?" _ His voice becomes threatening and a shiver goes down her spine. She looks up as the tiny blonde runs out the door and goes find her. She tries to smile for her. _"Oh, what a sweet kid. She looks just like her mother. But, she is way hotter."_

Rachel looks around, disturbed. She picks Beth's hand and squeezes too hard. The blonde complains.

"How do you know her? Leave them alone."

"_Are you threatening __me__? I'll leave them alone if I want to. Listen to me bitch, you'll come back to me, one way or another…"_

"What's wrong, Rachel?" Beth asks.

" _See you soon, baby. It's a promise."_ He hangs up. Rachel keeps the silent phone against her ear for a while.

"Nothing. It's nothing." She speeds up, dragging Beth with her. They grab the first cab they see and drive fast away from the school.

They drive back to the loft. Rachel can't stop moving. She looks out the window constantly, searching in the cars around the cab for him. Beth watches her silently, biting her lip. Rachel drags her up the stairs and into the loft. Then she drops everything on the sofa and walks to the bathroom.

"Beth, why don't you start with your homework? I'll be right back."

"…ok."

Rachel shuts the door and collapse in tears. She grabs a towel and presses it against her face trying to muffle the sobs.

Beth sneaks the cordless phone to her room and hits speed dial.

"Robertson's & Co. How may I help you?" Answers a distracted Quinn.

"Mommy! It's me." She says.

"How are you, sweetie? Why are you whispering?"

"Mom, I'm scared."

"What? Why? Where is Rachel?" Quinn starts scaring herself.

"She picked me up at school, but she was really weird. She was on the phone with and I've never seen her like that. I think she is crying in the bathroom right now. Wait…" She hears the bathroom door cracking open and Rachel comes out. She grabs her suitcase and opens it on the sofa. "Mom, she's packing."

"I'm coming home. I'll be there really soon. Listen to me, sweetie. Don't let her leave. Take her purse, her keys or something. I'm going to sort this out, I promise." Quinn hangs the phone and rushes out the office.

Beth watches Rachel packing. She has to come up with something, anything, to do what her mother has said. She doesn't want Rachel to go either, so she has to do something about it.

She sneaks to Quinn's bedroom and starts to open the drawers. At the bottom one she finds what she is looking for: a chocolate box. She opens it and gets one. She unwraps it and considers her next movement. Only a tiny bite will do it.

"Aaaah!"

Rachel freezes.

"Beth? What's wrong?"

"Rachel…" Beth calls weakly. The brunette runs to get her and finds her sitting on Quinn's bed, scratching her arms furiously.

"What happened to you?"

"It itches! It itches a lot! Everywhere!" She switches to scratching her face.

"Stop that! You're going to hurt yourself." She looks around and finds the wrap of a chocolate. "Oh my god. Tell me this doesn't have nuts in it."

"What? I don't know! It itches!"

"You're mom told me you are allergic to nuts… that must be it." She says more to herself. "What do you do when you have an allergic reaction…"

"When it's like this, mommy gets me some ice and a cream she has…"

"Oh, crap. Ok. Don't even touch the chocolates." Rachel runs out of the bedroom. Beth waits until she hears her in the kitchen, gets a little antihistamine pill out of her pocket and swallows it.


	15. Chapter 15

_Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters._

_A/N: I'm not really pleased about how this chapter has turned out. I found it was really hard for me to talk about these things, so I'm sorry if you don't like this one._

_As always, a shout out to my beta With_Good_Grace (if you haven't, you have to check her fic 'My only exception', is awesome)._

**CHAPTER – 15**

Quinn catches a cab and rushes to Brooklyn. She gets out of breath to the loft and opens the door. She finds Rachel's things messed up in the living room and hears something coming from Beth's room. She walks there and finds the little girl lying in bed. She spots the rashes on her arms.

"Beth?"

"Mommy!"

"What happened to you?" She says grabbing her daughter's arm.

"I took a bite of one of your chocolates."

"Why would you do that? You know you're allergic, that's why they're hidden."

"But mom!" She whispers. "I had to do something. And I took my pill just after. I got her to stay."

"I'm not sure if I should be proud of my intelligent daughter or disturbed. That was dumb, Beth."

"Oh, hi Quinn." The brunette enters the room with a wet towel and a glass of water. She puts it over Beth's arm. "Don't scratch yourself."

Quinn turns to her daughter. "Are you ok now, sweetie?"

"Yes, mom."

"Ok." She turns to the brunette. "Can I talk to you?" The brunette looks at her suspiciously as she follows her to the living room, closing Beth's room.

"I'm so sorry I haven't called you, I was freaking out and I was trying to stop the reaction." She rambles for a while until she realizes something. "Hey. How come you are home so early? I didn't call you..."

"Beth did." Rachel starts revising what had happened and seems not to recall the blonde calling her mother. "The reason I wanted to talk to you is because I remembered something." She gets the brunette attention, as expected.

"What was it?"

Quinn takes her time to start speaking again. She looks around. She spots Rachel's bag on the couch. Rachel follows her eyes.

"I remember when I was in Lima my father would threaten my mother. He would say horrible things, just to keep her in his hands and I had no doubt he would do it." Rachel winces. "I pray every day she'll be ok. You have taken a great step forward but it's not over. I'm pretty sure he will try to have you back, and Rachel, you can't put up with it all. You have to talk it with somebody. He will destroy you otherwise, either if you go back to him or if you don't." Rachel bits her lip.

"He called me today." She says, almost in tears.

"I knew something was going on." Rachel looks up at her eyes, a tear rolling down her cheek. Quinn rolls her thumb and catches it. "Rachel, you've got me. I'm not leaving your side no matter what. Please, don't go back to him. Do it for yourself."

Quinn notices Rachel can't control her tears anymore. She turns around.

"I can't." She covers her face with her hands. Quinn turns around her and grabs both her hands, trying to get them away to face the brunette.

"Then, do it for the people who love you. They don't want to watch you suffer." Quinn swallows. "Do it for me, Rachel."

Rachel opens her eyes and stares at the blonde in front of her. She smiles reassuringly and brushes her tears away.

"You don't get it. I'm doing it for you. I shouldn't have come here in the first place." She gets out of Quinn's grip and gets her bag, heading towards the door.

"What do you mean?" Rachel ignores the question. Quinn pulls the bag down, making Rachel throw it and stop. The brunette turns to face her. "Did he… Tell me he did not threaten me or my daughter." Quinn is now furious.

"He… I… Yes." She looks down to the floor.

"That son of a b*tch." She starts mumbling, mostly insults, while she takes the bag and carries it to her bedroom. Rachel follows her, without knowing what is going on. Quinn leaves it on the bed and turns to face her. "I swear to you: I'm not letting him touch a hair of either of you. I would haunt him down and cut his b-"

"Quinn, this would really be easier if I just walked out."

"Rachel, you're not going anywhere. Aren't you tired of this? Run away each time he finds you? We are going to face him." Rachel looks down, taken aback. Quinn stops on her tracks and approaches the brunette slowly. She takes her hands in her own and squeezes them lightly. "What are you thinking?"

Rachel looks up to her, determined. "Let's do this."

Quinn smiles lightly and brings their foreheads together. They close their eyes as they stand in that same position, while Quinn caresses Rachel's cheek and she wipes all the tears away.

"Mom!" Beth calls from the bedroom. "I am hungry…"

"I'll fix you something, ok?"

"Okay!"

"Thank you again Quinn." Rachel whispers.

"It's ok. Let's take Beth something to eat and then we'll phone Brittany." Quinn shakes her head. "I can't believe she ate one of my chocolates and then took the pill. She has a twisted mind. I only told her to steal your purse while I arrived." Rachel doubts for a moment and finally she clicks the pieces together in her brain. Quinn walks to the kitchen.

"I hate you two." Rachel gives a little punch to Quinn's shoulder and then she hugs her back.

"Sure you do…"

"_Hello?"_

"Hi, San. It's me. How are you?"

"_Fine. You?"_

"Fine too. Listen, is Brittany around? I need to talk to her."

"_She has to be back any minute. Why do you need to talk to her?"_

"It's about Rachel."

"_What's happened? Is she ok_?" Quinn goes silent for a while. _"Listen, I know everything, ok? Brittany spilled it all, I can be very persuasive, you know?"_

"She's fine now. He phoned her and threatened us."

"_What? Where does this f*cker live?"_

"Calm down, Santana. Rachel is ok and we are too. I'm not going to let anything happen to them."

"_If something happens, I'll haunt him down." _

Quinn falls silent again and smiles at the latina's aggressive behavior. No one messes with Santana's friends, not in high school, not now.

"_Hey. So Rachel is fine?"_

"Yes. I calmed her down. She was going to leave, but I talked to her and she is going to pursue the lawsuit."

"_Tell her to come by and we'll talk. I'm a psychologist after all."_

"San, she still fears you. I don't think it will work."

"_I need to work on that. I'm willingly going to make things right between the two of us so you don't have more excuses if you finally want to date her."_Santana says teasingly.

"You're not serious. I'm hanging up on you now." The blonde warns her.

"_Whatever, __you know I'm right."_ She says mockingly. Quinn sighs.

"Have Britt calling me back, please. Bye."

"_Bye."_


	16. Chapter 16

_Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters._

_A/N: I know, my updates are taking longer and longer, I'm really sorry but since I started college they've got me very busy. I will try to update at least twice a week._

_Thank you all for the comments and specially, thanks to my beta With_Good_Grace. You should all check her fic The Only Exception, it's getting pretty interesting!_

**CHAPTER – 16**

"Good morning. Welcome to Robertson & Co. I am Quinn Fabray. How may I help you?"

"Good morning. I need some legal advice. A friend of mine recommended me this law firm as one of the best." A tall man with curly dark brown hair crosses the room towards Quinn's desk. His green eyes analyze everything in the room and Quinn herself, making the blonde feel uncomfortable.

"I can assure you we are one of the best law firms at the moment based on our statistics, sir."

"Great. I would like to take a look at your fees and arrange and appointment with one

of your lawyers, preferably Mrs. Robertson if that is possible."

"Here you are." Quinn hands him a sheet with the fees and checks in the computer. "I see here Mrs. Robertson doesn't have a free appointment in the next two weeks. Are you sure you don't want to see another of our lawyers? They are all very good, sir."

"No, it has to be her." He keeps rambling. "So if I wanted to start the proceedings for a divorce, I had to wait for at least two weeks?"

"If you insist on having Mrs. Roberston handle you case then it will be two weeks."

"That's strange. As I recall, my friend didn't have to wait so long." The man leans on her desk. Quinn looks around uncomfortable.

"I don't know, sir. Perhaps he or she had good luck and we had a last minute cancellation. All I know is that at the moment, the next appointment available is in two weeks."

"Ok, then. I'll take it." He walks to the elevator.

"Wait. I need you to fill some information. Sir?"

"Mark. Mark Hallen." He turns to her once in the elevator and winks, clicking the button. Quinn looks surprised for a minute, but then her hazel eyes get full of anger. Mark notices and smiles.

"See you soon." He says as the elevator doors close.

Quinn stands up and rushes to the elevator. She clicks the button, but she knows it won't open again for a while and he will just walk away. She punches the doors in anger and flinches at the pain.

She can't believe the nerve of that guy. He is so calm and confident about the whole thing, like if he just assumed everything is going to turn out good for him. She despises him. She can't help how much she would like to punch him and spit on him for beating up someone innocent, someone he supposedly loves. She can't believe he was able to beat Rachel.

A door opens behind her and she closes her eyes, trying to calm herself down.

"Quinn, are you ok?" A man in a suit asks her as he leaves some papers on her desk.

She takes a deep breath and tries to smile just before turning around.

"Sure, Thomas." The lawyer looks down at her clenched fists and so does she. She wasn't even aware of the pain of her nails sinking in her palms until he noticed. She unclenches her fists and shows him a smile less forced. Thomas looks a little puzzled, but he goes back to his office.

Rachel wakes up and does a little routine around the house: she cleans and she exercises at the same time. She also sings happily to a song on the radio. Suddenly, the door bell rings.

She stops the music and goes silently to the door. She peeks on the peephole and gasps when she sees it.

A coffee dancing in front of her eye.

"Hello? Rachel, I know you're there. I heard the music." The latina appears behind the cup.

She finally opens the door.

"Hi! What's up?" The latina rushes in, gives a cup of coffee to Rachel and walks to the living room. Rachel stays a little stunned by the door, but finally reacts, closes it and follows her.

"Quinn is working and Beth is at school."

"I know that, Berry. I'm here to talk to you." The brunette sits in front of Santana.

"Why?" It's the first thing that crosses her mind. She doesn't remember having a conversation with the latina, not with Quinn around at least. "I mean… about what?"

"First of all, I would like to apologize for the hell I put you through in high school. I know I was really bad to you, especially before joining the Glee club, and I am really sorry."

"Don't worry, Santana." She sips her coffee. "It was years ago. In my first days in high school, I already understood I could be easily mocked for having a dream and take the path to pursue it. So, I don't blame you."

"Rachel, you weren't mocked because of…" She shakes her head. "Anyway, now that I have apologized to you, could we be… friends?"

Rachel blinks twice. "Sure."

"So, you can count with me now. I will be there for you, ok?" Santana says slowly, letting it sink in the brunette.

"Santana, cut it out. I know you know." She shakes her head.

"What do I know? I know nothing, nothing at all." Rachel raises her eyebrow. "Quinn told you, right?"

"She did say you may be offering your psychological advice… She fell asleep before I could ask her why, or at least she faked it, so I had to figure it out. I am fine now, San."

"Oh, of course. You sleep together. I forgot about that." Rachel sips again, nervously, of her coffee. Santana sips hers too. "You know? I've gone to slumber parties and those things, but I've only shared a bed for more than a night with Brittany."

Rachel blushes under Santana's stare. "Are… are you implying something?"

"I'm just making a statement." Santana takes another sip and adds distracted. "I have never slept as nicely as I do with her."

Rachel hides behind her cup, sipping once more.

"When did you know you were loved Britt?" She asks in a weak voice.

"I noticed I always felt happy and comfortable around her, that we had this need to hold hands or just touch lean together."

Rachel starts to wonder as Santana keeps saying the things that made her notice there was something more than friendship between Santana and the blonde. With each of one, an image of Quinn and herself forms in her mind: the accidental hand caring the others skin, the feeling that everything is going to be ok only the blonde can inspire…

Suddenly a hand lands on hers and Rachel snaps out of her thoughts.

"Are you really ok, Rachel? You can talk to me."

"I'm fine… just fine."


	17. Chapter 17

_Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters._

_A/N: My super beta With_Good_Grace posted today a new chapter of her awesome fic 'My only exception' (which you should check) and I realized what a lazy author I am becoming. So, finally, here is a new chapter. _

_Thank you for your reviews. I really enjoy them and I must say, they help me a lot when I write because I have thought about where I want the characters to go, but I don't really have everything else planned. Any suggestions you would like to make would be taken into consideration._

**CHAPTER – 17**

"Santana?" She says after some time drinking in silence.

"Yeah?"

"I'm not so fine."

"I figured. Tell me." Santana says gently.

"I… there were times, when he… he beat me up, I thought I deserved it. I thought everything I did was wrong." She sighs, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"You didn't deserve to be beaten up. Nobody deserves that and no way would you deserve it for loving him. I'm sure you did some things wrongs, life is full of mistakes, but we are allowed to make them. That's how we learn." Santana holds Rachel's hand supportively. "Listen. We make our own decisions. Some of them are good and some are bad, but they are ours. And nobody, nobody is allowed to control them or make them for us."

Rachel nods lightly, drying her tears off with her free hand.

"Those decisions form our life. If people don't like how we live, then they should get the hell out of our way. People who love us, love us no matter what, with all our flaws and virtues, they will stay. And you are surrounded by people who love you, Rachel." Santana presses lightly the brunette's hand and looks around the loft. Rachel smiles.

"Thank you, Santana."

"It's just the truth." Santana smiles too. "You have made a huge decision, leaving him. I know it must be a very hard one, but I'm sure people who really love you will think it's the best decision you can make."

"Robertson & Co. How may I help you?"

"Q, it's me. I'm just leaving your loft."

"What did you do to her?"

"I did nothing! We just talked, Quinn. She really needed it."

"Okay…" She says uninterested.

"Don't be ridiculous. Are you jealous she wouldn't talk to you?"

"Me? I'm not. Why would I be?"

"Quinn…"

"I thought we trusted each other. I thought…"

"Shut it, Fabray. Of course she trusts you, she's living with you and she didn't leave when he appeared because you told her to. You should think about why that is." Silence follows. "Besides, there are things too hard to share with people you love. I'm a specialist. Don't take it the wrong way. It's my job to hear those things and try to make it better."

"Okay…" Quinn says finally.

"She will talk to you sooner or later. I promise."

"I'm sooo tired…" The blonde says as she takes her position by Rachel's side.

"Did you have a tough day?" The brunette asks. The blonde bits her lip. Should she tell her or not?

"Rachel?" The brunette turns around to face her. "Mark was at the office today." She sits up on the bed and look at Quinn with her brown wide and scared eyes.

"Don't worry. I think he just wanted to face me. You said he already knows who I am, right? Now I know who he is. I bet in his frivolous little brain he thought I would be actually scared of him."

The brunette suddenly hugs her and hides her face in her shoulder. "Be careful, Quinn. I don't know what he would be capable of. I don't want you to get hurt."

The blonde returns the hug. "I told you. I'm not scared of him." She caresses the brunette's hair. "Are you ok, though? That's all I care about."

"I'm scared."

"It's all right, Rach. I'm here for you. I'm here…"

"Mum! Rachel! Wake up! Come on, wake up!" Little Beth jumps in the bed, moving the two sleeping bodies.

"Uhg. Beth… why are you waking us so early on a Saturday morning?" Quinn says protesting.

"Dad is coming! Daddy is coming to visit!"

"I know sweetie, but it's early anyway." She grabs a pillow and hits her between her words. "Get. Back. To. Sleep." When she finishes, she covers her head with the pillow.

"Beth, go watch some cartoons. I'll be up in a while, ok?" The brunette turns in the bed, repositioning herself.

"Ok…" She says happily and goes out of the bedroom.

Quinn feels Rachel settling in the bed, accidentally brushing her skin with hers. She suddenly feels more awake. Her heart speeds with each subtle movement from the tiny brunette. Her brain racing.

"_This is wrong. This is so wrong. I like her. I can't like her. I'm falling in love with her. This is surreal. It's Rachel Berry, for god sake's. You used to mock her in high school. Yeah, that was cruel and pointless. In fact, she was pretty cool, a little bit selfish, but cool. Here it is again. Oh gosh, I like her. Why is this happening to me? First, I got pregnant at sixteen. And now… I like girls? This is not fair."_

Obviously, Rachel is oblivious to the thoughts speeding in Quinn's mind. She turns around, with her eyes still closed, trying to find again the comfortable position she had before but only ending closer to the blonde, torturing her. She keeps telling to herself not to act weird about the situation, telling herself it is a normal situation. However, her body seems to act on her own accord, rising her temperature.

"_Can I… touch her accidentally? No, dammit Fabray."_

As the tan skin brushes once more against her white one, Quinn can't fight it anymore. She surrenders and runs away.

Not too long after, Rachel wakes up alone in the bed. She looks around and finally walks out the bedroom.

"Good morning, Beth" The little one is watching some cartoons on tv.

"Good morning"

"Where's your mom?"

"She is taking a shower. She didn't say good morning."

As they are speaking, the bathroom door opens and Quinn exits with her hair wet and only a towel wrapping her body. Rachel looks at her without any discretion. Quinn blushes and wonders if she had really thought the shower was going to be a good idea to calm her hormones.

"Morning Rach. I'm going to get some clothes on."

"Okay..." The brunette keeps watching her until the blonde closes the bedroom door after her. As the door slams shut, she shakes her head and smiles lightly. "Beth, are you hungry? What do you want for breakfast?"

"Can we make pancakes like last week?"

"Great idea. You know what to do, right?"

"Yes, I remember. I get the eggs."

"Oh no." The blonde says joining them in the kitchen.

"What?" The brunette asks.

"I just showered. I'm not going in again with my hair full of milk." Rachel smiles playfully.

"No way!" Beth shouts. "Daddy will be here anytime now and you two are not going to mess everything up."

Quinn searches Rachel eyes and they nod slightly. Rachel grabs Beth and forces her out of the kitchen and onto the sofa, where both adults start tickling her.

"Let me go."

"Oh no, you need to relax and have some fun." Quinn says, still tickling.

"You suck. You suck."

"We do? You'll see." The brunette tickles her harder, making the little blonde cry of laughter.

Someone rings the bell at the door.

"Saved by the bell, sweetie." Quinn says. She gets up and opens the door.

"Hey! How are my favorite blondes doing?" Puck hugs her and lifts her over.

"Great." Quinn says and Puck leaves her on the floor. Then he bends down and Beth runs to his arms, hugging him.

"Great, daddy!" He leaves Beth back in the floor.

"Hi Noah. Long time no see, huh?"

"Rachel! Yes. I'm so glad to see you." He gives her a hug too, for all the things they lived in high school, for the short time they were a hot jew couple.

"We are making pancakes. Do you want some, daddy?" Noah smiles.

"Sure. Can I help?"

"You… you set the table."

"That's not fun. Okay, I'll do it…"

He sets the table as Quinn and Rachel cook the pancakes and let Beth think it is her doing. They laugh, they get their clothes dirty. It's being only a couple of weeks since he last saw Quinn, but he swears he sees something different in her. There's something different in the way she smiles, something he has seen before, but long ago.


	18. Chapter 18

_Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters._

_A/N: Thank you for your support and reviews. In here it's still Sunday so I make the two chapters of the week :P As it turns out, I think this is coming to an end, about two chapters more to wrap it all up._

_As always, you __must__ check my beta's, With_Good_Grace, story called My Only Exception. You won't regret it._

_._

**CHAPTER - 18**

"I'm going to take a shower now. I'll be leaving to the theatre in an hour or so."

"It must suck to have to work on weekends…"

"Sometimes, Noah. But I do love my job and, besides, on weekends we fill the place."

"So we can't go?" Beth asks worried.

"You want to go again? A couple of times more and you'll know my lines better than me." Rachel tickles Beth and she laughs. "But your dad has come to visit, you have to be with him"

"I was thinking he may want to go too." She turns and looks at his father. She bats her eyelashes at him and makes a little pout.

"I have a better idea." His kid watches him puzzled: it always works! "Why don't we all go to see Rachel and after that, ice cream on me for everyone?"

"Cool!" Beth starts jumping around and the three adults smile.

"Ok then." Rachel gets her things from the bedroom and walks to the bathroom. Beth runs away to her bedroom to listen once again to Spring Awakening's soundtrack while she plays, leaving Noah and Quinn washing up.

"So… how have you been?" Quinn asks.

"Great. We have just launched a new product and the sales seems to have raised a lot." Quinn nods in silence, but her serious expression tells him there's something else she wants to know and doesn't want to ask. "Just the other day, I saw your mother." Quinn turns her eyes from the plates in her hands to his eyes. "We had a small talk. Apparently she is doing fine. She is happy about some new thing they're doing at church and told me I should join. I don't think she is ever going to get I am a jew." Quinn smiles lightly. "She kept staring at me, like you just did, until I told her you were doing fine."

"Thank you, Noah."

"Don't mention it. I understand."

They stay in silence for a while. Quinn brushes the back of her hand to her eye discretely and Noah is content to do as he hasn't noticed.

"So, what's new in your life? Apart from a certain glee club diva living in your loft. What's that all about, anyway? I'm not complaining, but it is certainly weird."

"Yeah, right?" Quinn looks around and says in a lower voice. "She came by the office. She was in trouble and is getting a divorce."

"What kind of trouble?"

"Let's… let's just say her husband isn't too friendly…"

"Oh, I understand."

Rachel gets out of the bathroom with her hair wet. She comes over to the kitchen counter and watches them.

"You need any help?"

"No, thanks. We already got it." Quinn says looking at her. A strand of blonde hair gets just in front of her eyes. The blonde tries to get it back with the back of her hands while she keeps doing the washing up but Rachel leans over and does it for her. Quinn blushes lightly and smiles back.

"Okay. Then I'm going to dry my hair." She goes to the bedroom and reappears seconds later going back to the bathroom.

"I don't want to be rude, but I was counting on staying here the night. Do you have an extra mattress or something? I can sleep on the floor or whatever."

"Don't be silly. You'll sleep in the sofa, as always. It's more comfortable than the floor."

"And Rachel?"

"She… she sleeps with me." Quinn smiles lightly and looks away, trying to not catch the eyes that are looking at her.

Noah makes sure he can still hear the hairdryer before he speaks. Meanwhile, Quinn refuses to join his eyes.

"Well, well… It's been a long time since I've seen you with that kind of dopey grin in your face."

"What are you talking about?"

"About that stupid smile that doesn't leave your face whenever you are with Rachel."

"That's not true." She complains.

"Oh, yes, it is. And something tells me you know it, but you don't want to accept it." He arches and eyebrow, leaving the last dry plate on the counter. "Spill, Fabray." The blonde shrugs.

"So yes, I think I like Rachel. I like to spend time with her. Had I known she was so nice to be around I wouldn't have made fun of her as much in high school. We might have actually been friends."

"You wouldn't. High school was a jungle: mock or be mocked. But nice one. You really thought you could change the subject. It's the first person I have seen you 'like' this way in a long time. Since high school, in fact. I wasn't expecting that person to be a woman, but I'm glad you found her anyway. The point is, are you?"

"I… I don't know." She leans on the counter, looking troubled.

"Are you thinking it is a sin? I know that you were raised into believing…"

"No, that's not it. I got pregnant at sixteen, my parents disowned me and told me I was going to hell. I've grown up, I have a wonderful little girl and… I'm happy. I believe in God, but I don't believe in what people say that means."

"So then, there's no excuse. I haven't seen you so happy in years, you have to go for it, Quinn."

"It's just… it's not the right time. She is divorcing from a jackass…" Noah starts laughing in her face. "What is so funny?"

"You are scared."

"No, I'm not. It's just not the right time."

"You are soo scared." He keeps laughing his butt off and Quinn punches him in the arm.

"What's so funny?" Rachel startles them.

"Nothing. We were just talking about old times."

* * *

"Hi Rachel. How are you?"

"Hi Andrew. Great, and you?"

"Fine. You look pretty happy. Is Beth coming today?" He looks back to the mirror in front of him and fixes his hair one more time.

"Yes. And she's not coming alone." Andrew looks at her and smiles. "They have to come back here before we start. There were only two reserved seats left. You invited someone?"

Andrew looks concerned for a moment. "Yeah. Well, he kind of invited himself."

"Wow, wow. You finally got a boyfriend?"

"I wish." He smiles lightly.

She turns around and starts preparing herself. It was definitely more comfortable to do scenes like the ones they played in the stage with a gay partner. At the end of the day, there's no tension between the two of them. That was one of the things that pulled Mark and her together, the tension onstage.

With Andrew, it was different. He has been with them since they started, playing a minor role and with Mark gone, he had gained the principal part.

She quits thinking about Mark, it always give her a headache, and starts thinking about Quinn, Beth and Noah. They have told her that there were only two seats left, so one of them would have to stay in the backstage 'with' her.

"If Noah stayed in the backstage it would be awkward. Besides, he has come all the way from Lima to be with his girls. It would probably be better if Beth or Quinn would stay there." She smiles just at the thought.

She wasn't expecting to feel this way again. At first, she believed it was just a feeling of gratitude. But when the skin brushes became necessary to feel safe and she suddenly felt hot the first time she saw her with only a towel, she understood it was something more. She had only been attracted to men – Finn, Puck, Mark -, but she knew better than to question one's desire. She has two dads and they had taught her that when your heart chooses a person, nothing else matters.

* * *

"Hey!" Quinn comes to the backstage. Rachel is peaking outside, biting her nails.

"Hey."

"We were late and they told us there were only two seats. I let Noah with Beth tonight."

"I'm sorry. There were only two seats left."

* * *

"Don't worry. I get to be backstage and see the action." They both smile.

"Excuse me." Noah gets up and lets a man come back to his seat. He passes Beth too and seats besides her. "What did I miss?" He whispers.

"Not much. It just started. Wendla sang Mamma who bore me. Is it the first time you've seen it?"

"No. I've come once or twice before." He passes his hand through his hair, putting back a couple of dark curls. "And you?"

"No. I'm friends with Rachel, the girl who plays Wendla, and she has invited me over many times."

"Really? That's great." He says with exaggerated gestures. Beth raises her eyebrow, she hates people who think kids are so dumb.


	19. Chapter 19

_I'm a crappy author, but I want to do a good ending. Please forgive me for taking so long!_

_Thanks to all of you for putting up with me and special thank you to my beta With_Good_Grace (check her fic The Only Exception :P)._

**CHAPTER – 19**

The lights go out once more and Rachel gets out of the stage quickly. She buttons her dress back again and runs to the backstage, where she accidentally collides with Quinn.

"Oh… oh, I'm sorry." Quinn gets out of her way. "You were great!"

Rachel blushes. "Th- thank you, Quinn." She reflects on the mirror and brushes her hair. She only has a few minutes until she has to go back. "Are you enjoying the show, then?"

"Yes." She looks back to the stage where Andrew keeps singing. Rachel walks by and stands just in front of her, accidentally brushing her hair with Quinn. The blonde closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, smelling the sweet scent of the brunette's hair. "Hey, I need to talk to you later, ok?"

She looks back at her. "Sounds serious."

"Don't worry, it's nothing bad… I think." They look back to the stage and the public beyond and sees a glimpse of Beth mouthing the words of the song. Next, Rachel moves away and she instantly misses her.

* * *

"Hey. Where are you going? It hasn't finished yet."

"Believe me, I know how it ends. Besides, I have to wait for someone in the backstage." The curly haired man sweeps again of the seats aisle and walks out. Beth follows her with her eyes.

"Daddy." She whispers.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"I think I knew that man."

"Where from?"

"I don't know. I just think I knew him. And he is no good…"

* * *

Rachel walks backstage at last. People seem to have enjoyed the play and have given them a huge ovation. She is delighted and happy. She walks backstage to Quinn. That makes her happier, although there's some space left in her heart for something she knows would make her even happier.

"You were fantastic!" Quinn smiles and hugs her. Rachel hugs her back and closes her eyes. Suddenly a quiet clap gets them out of it. The first to see him is Rachel. Quinn pulls away from the hug and looks at her blank face. Then she turns to face him.

"What are you doing here, Mark?" The brunette says quietly. Quinn stays by her side, squeezing her hand.

"You were good out there, Rach." The brunette winces and the calling only makes Quinn angrier. "Not great. You can't do great without me, we had the chemistry and now you've lost it."

"What are you doing here?" She repeats again.

"I came to visit my friends, my family, remember? We were all a family."

"We are not a family anymore, Mark." Rachel's words slip from her mouth unconsciously and she becomes aware of the power the blonde's hand in hers gives her.

"Oh, but technically we are. We are not divorced yet Rachel." He takes a step towards them. "And we are not getting a divorce." He takes another step towards her and Quinn moves and stands just in front of her.

"Don't come closer."

"Oh, you got yourself a little defender, huh?" He says to the brunette and then, facing Quinn he adds menacingly. "Or what?"

Quinn doesn't seem intimidated, Rachel observes. She just raises her eyebrow. The tension is palpable. The people seem to have vanished from the always crowded backstage.

"For a start, you'll get arrested. You're violating the restraining order."

"Huh-uh. I'm shaking." He says mockingly. "And then what?"

"Then… That depends on what you do. I can pull the typical but effective girl tactic and pull every of your curls out or maybe I can go directly and kick your b…" Mark steps closer and grabs Quinn free arm violently.

"Listen, blondie. Leave my wife alone."

"You wish, asshole." She spats in his face.

He dries his face with the back of his hand and looks her in the eye. "I see… This is just too funny." He chuckles while he keeps squeezing Quinn's arm. The blonde doesn't flinch. "You're not just protecting your friend. You like her. You're gay." He searches for a reaction in the blonde, something to get back at her, to know he is hurting something in her mind. But he can't find anything in her.

"So what?" Quinn says calmly. The brunette squeezes Quinn's hand back and seems to gain in confidence. Mark catches it with the corner of his eye and gets on his nerves.

"I should've known better..." He pulls Quinn out of his way and pushes her to his side. The blonde's hand leaves Rachel's trying to stop her fall. Mark grabs Rachel and pushes her against the wall. "You're my wife." He says angry as he immobilizes her and tries to catch her lips.

Rachel tries to resist it, but he ends up kissing her. He disgusts her. She stops resisting and kisses him back.

"I knew I would change your mind…" He shakes his head and goes back to kiss her. She catches his lip in her teeth and bits hard, making it bleed. "You bitch!" Mark's hand goes back and takes his impulse to slap her but someone stops his hand.

* * *

"Excuse me"

"Yes, sir?" A woman answers politely.

"Did you happen to notice a man with curly dark hair just going to the backstage?"

"Yes. He is Mark Hallen, sir. He worked here until a few months ago."

"Daddy, he is Rachel's husband." Beth informs.

"Yeah, sweetie, I know." Noah gets nervous. "Excuse me but that man has a restraining order from his wife, from Rachel. We need to get back there and call the police."

"What are you saying sir?"

"He isn't supposed to be around her. He beats her up! Let me go backstage." He walks past her.

"Security!" The woman calls.


	20. Chapter 20

_Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters._

_A/N: Hello everybody. I'm so sorry this took so long. College really keeps me busy. So here it is a new chapter and, technically, the last chapter of this story (watch out for a fluffy epilogue). I hope you all have enjoyed it._

_Don't forget to check my beta With_Good_Grace's story My Only Exception. She's the best._

**CHAPTER – 20**

"I told you not to come closer." Quinn is grabbing his arm, not as hard as he was, but enough to keep him from getting it away. Before he could react again, the brunette pushes him back, making him fall to the ground. She takes Quinn's hand and walks past him.

Mark raises his hand and grabs Rachel's leg, making her fall too. With only one free hand, she can't help but hit the floor. She feels pain in her chin, but there's no time. She feels the blonde pulling her up and she follows her. They reach the corridors with Mark on their feet and through all the adrenaline filling her brain, Quinn stills considers how intelligent just running might be.

She pushes Rachel before her and keeps running. She really can't believe how a full theatre can empty so quickly. They exit the room; Quinn glances back just a second and closes the door behind them. She traps Mark's fingers and he screams in pain. She locks the door and watches Rachel.

"Are you ok?" She whispers. The brunette looks at her with her tear stained face and nods slightly. Quinn manages to get her hand up and bring the brunette's chin up. Rachel winces in pain. The blonde withdraws her hand and finds blood in it. "Dammit."

"It's nothing… are you ok?"

"Fine. I would be better if I had killed him." Rachel looks down again. Quinn joins her hand with the brunette's and keeps walking quietly: they've closed one door, but they know there are too many.

At the end of the corridor, they peek out the corner quietly. They both jump when they see a tall figure storming in their direction.

"Jeez, Quinn, Rachel. What happened to you?" He stops in his tracks.

"Sir, I told you. You can't be here. Security it's on…" The woman from the staff follows him but stops too on her tracks when she sees them. "What happened?"

"I… We…" Rachel starts.

"I told you. That f*cking asshole." Noah explains.

"Is it true?" Rachel looks back at the blonde assistant and then, she looks down.

"Yes, Rebecca."

"Son of a…" She touches her earpiece. "Security. Look for Mark. Don't let him leave the theatre. Call the police. That bastard beat Rachel and her friend up."

"Noah…" Quinn whispers while Rebecca talks to someone. "Where is Beth?" They look around, but there's no tiny blonde there. As the nervousness starts building in them, they hear a kid's shout to top it all…

* * *

"Hey sweetheart, what are you doing here all alone?" Beth is up in the stage, walking around, recreating the scenes and the songs.

"You again? I thought you left." She says absent minded. Mark steps on the stage too and walks around in the opposite direction as Beth's. The little blonde looks out for her with the corner of her eyes.

"Yeah. I was talking with my friend in the backstage."

"Cool, I guess…" They start to walk in circles on the stage and they look at each other in opposites sides. "You messed up your shirt. Is that blood?" He takes his sleeve to his still bleeding lip.

"Yeah… we had an 'accident'." They keep walking in silence, until suddenly Mark stops. "Hey, do you want me to buy you some pop corn?"

Beth reaches him, but she dodges him and continues walking and singing quietly. "Why would you buy me pop corn? It's not that I know you or something."

"You're a sweet kiddo. So, what do you say?" He starts to walk in the opposite way, facing the little blonde. She stops on her tracks. Mark extends his hand and touches her blonde hair.

Beth thinks about it a few seconds. She grabs his hand firmly and smiles. Mark smiles back. She brings down his hand and bites it as hard as she can.

"Aaaahhhh!" He tries to grab her but she runs away. "F*cking kid." He looks down at his hand and finds out that it's bleeding in some parts. He looks back at the tiny form at the edge of the stage in anger. "You're going to regret this, missy."

He starts his quick walk down to her and she stares at him thinking of those bad horror movies her mum doesn't know she has ever watched where the killer seems to walk extremely slow and no matter how fast the good guys run, he will catch them. She decides that this is not a horror movie after all and she chooses how to act. So she stays in the same place. When Mark is about five steps away from her, she takes the 'Home Alone' tactic. She closes her eyes and screams at the top of her lungs.

Mark stops on his tracks. "What the hell are you doing?" Beth opens her eyes without stopping the scream and looks at him wickedly. Mark takes the last steps and puts his hand on her mouth, shutting her up.

* * *

Rachel looks into Quinn's eyes, worried. "Do you hear that?"

The blonde's hazel eyes wonder for a second and then Quinn and Noah whisper in unison. "Beth!"

Rachel grabs Quinn's hand and takes the lead. Having known the theatre for years, she follows the voice through the shortest way. Noah and Rebecca follow closely.

* * *

Beth shakes her head, trying to release herself and gets to bite Mark's other hand. Now that her scream has finished, Mark's fills the quiet theatre.

"I'm going to kill you, little cannibal. You're going to regret doing this to me, bitches. You and your mother are nothing more than scum. You ruined everything. He goes on and on, caressing his hand and trashing her and her mother, saying things she doesn't even understand, although she is certain they are bad things.

Beth closes her fists. Nobody calls her mother anything like that. She takes a deep breath and runs towards Mark, pushing them to the ground. He gets the full impact on his back and she lands on top of him, trying to get up before he can get back at her.

He grunts and catches her, though. He stands up and immobilizes her.

"Let me go, you stupid!"

"No way. I'm going to teach you now some respect. Something your mother never did." He spanks her and moves again his arm backwards, catching impulse. Beth cries, trying to escape.

Suddenly, the doors to the theatre open.

"Stop right there." One of the security men orders him.

Mark stops, but smiles confident. "Hey, John. Long time no see. How is Martha?"

Another door opens and Rachel, Quinn, Noah and Rebecca get on stage.

"Let her go, asshole." Rachel speaks before Quinn can. The blonde looks at her and sees the deep anger in her eyes. The security man walks slowly up the stage towards Mark and Beth.

"She's fine." He says angrily. "Beth, why don't you go with your mom?" He adds in a gentler way.

Beth gets released and hides her tear stained face in her chest. She needs to be taught some manners," Mark says with a smile on his face. Noah's fists clench, the urge to punch the man growing with each

minute.

"Sure she does..." John says, getting closer to him.

"What are you going to do? I haven't done anything wrong."

"You know what you've done, Mark. And I am sorry for this."

"You can't arrest me, John. You don't have that kind of power, you're only a security guy."

"Jerk." Rebecca says in the corner.

John takes a deep breath. "But I can hold you until the police arrive. Speaking of which…"

The police arrive, arrest Mark and ask the witnesses to give their statement.

Beth is a little scared but she won't admit it, so Noah takes her in his arms. Quinn holds Rachel's hand as they give their statement. Rachel looks at the blonde by her side and smiles slightly. She swims in her hazel eyes and notices pain in them. She watches as Quinn's arm rests still on her side and looks concern back at her. The blonde smiles and shakes her head playing down its importance.

"This is not over." Rachel tenses.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law…"

"I'll get you back. One way or another…" Rachel looks at him scared as they drag him out and feels how Quinn pulls her closer.

"Don't worry, Rach. You'll be safe. You'll be ok..." The brunette can feel the words sinking in her mind and her muscles relaxing. "You've got us. You've got me. You'll be ok…"


	21. Epilogue

_Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters._

_A/N: Well… This is THE END guys. I hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed myself writing it. This is the best shipper I've ever written for, you are amazing. I'll keep reading and probably I'll keep writing stuff._

_Thanks to all of you and special thanks to my beta With_Good_Grace._

_Speaking of my beta, her amazing story 'My only exception' is still on. Go check it!_

**EPILOGUE**

Brittany walks side by side with Rachel.

"Do you want me to tell them?" Brittany asks.

"Haven't you told Santana yet?"

"Believe me. It's been hard." She smiles wickedly. "So… do you want me to tell them?"

"Please…" She begs.

"Girls? Stop ignoring us and tell us!" Santana jumps from the other side of the table, where she is sitting by Quinn's side.

"As you know… Mark was stupid enough to hit a policeman in his way out of the theatre. So now he is going to be in jail for a few months."

"Yeah… I heard he got fired too, because it was bad press for the musical." Rachel intervenes.

"Pretty much the scandal will prevent him for getting a role in the city for a while."

"So he's out of our life for good." Rachel smiles slightly and Quinn puts her hand over the brunette's, caressing it and making the smile grow wider.

"For good." The blonde smiles too.

Santana shares a look with Brittany and sighs in frustration, shaking her head and hoping someday they'll be able to straight things out and maybe start a relationship. Brittany laughs quietly at Santana's frustration.

* * *

It's the middle of the night. She knows she shouldn't disturb Quinn now that she's sleeping, but she can't seem to get any sleep. All her thoughts come back to the same thing.

Quinn isn't really asleep. She was, but a brunette constantly moving in her arms woke her up some time ago.

"What's the matter, Rach?" Quinn whispers.

"Are you awake?" The brunette stops abruptly and whispers back.

"No, I'm talking in my sleep." Quinn says still with her eyes closed and Rachel laughs quietly. "What is in your mind?"

"I… uhm…" Quinn pinches her on her side. "Ah! I think I should stop by the apartment."

"Do you need to get something? Do you want me to help you?"

Rachel bites her lip, doubtful. She doesn't want to seem ungrateful. "I was thinking…"

"Yes?" Quinn pushes.

"I was thinking that now Mark is out of the picture, you don't have to put up with me in here." Quinn opens her eyes in alarm. "I can go back to my place now." Quinn turns the tiny brunette around, facing her.

"We're not putting up with you, Rach." She says, swimming in the darkness of the room to her dark brown eyes. "Do you really want to go back to that apartment? Doesn't it bring you bad memories?"

Rachel can't maintain the blonde's eyes on hers. "Well, maybe I could search for a new place…"

Quinn brings her hand up to Rachel's neck and forces her to look back into her hazel eyes. She looks at her intensely, trying to make her understand without pronouncing the words. However, there are times when it's necessary to do so.

"Please, stay with us." Quinn begs.

"Thank you, Quinn." Rachel smiles. "But there is no need anymore, I can get out of your hair now. Though I'm definitely visiting anyway…" Rachel starts rambling.

"I need you." Quinn whispers on top, Rachel stops talking and stares at her in silence. Quinn looks back at her, watching how her words sink in the brunette.

"What?" Rachel says in an excited whisper.

Quinn takes again her hand up Rachel's side, caressing every inch of skin she finds and lands it in her neck.

"I need you here, with me."

Rachel feels her eyes growing wet and her sight blurry. She smiles and shakes a little bit, causing the blonde to make a worried frown. That only makes Rachel smile wider and laugh and Quinn looks more and more confused. Then Rachel puts her arms around Quinn's waist and brings her head closer to Quinn's.

"Then… I guess I'm staying." Quinn feels a happy, warm feeling, growing inside of her, but nothing compared to what she feels when a mysterious force finally brings her lips together and they kiss tenderly.

They enjoy themselves tasting each other until they need to pull back for a breath. They look at each other once more, this time seeing each other in a new light. After they catch their breath, they begin to kiss with more desire, urgency and passion.

Quinn can't think straight. Her sweet, soft lips on hers. Her tiny hands all over her body. The sweet smell of her hair. Her hot breath in her face, making every hair raise and her body to ache for more.

The temperature in the room rises considerably or at least, that's what they think, because the clothes start to come off. Rachel's hand slides down Quinn's bare back, making a shiver run through the blonde's spine.

Quinn stops on top of the brunette. She stops the kissing to catch her breath and whispers. "Rach… are you sure of this?"

Rachel looks into her hazel eyes and finds a mixture of desire, love and worry. The brunette can't believe how she can feel this way for a person. It doesn't feel realistic the way she would jump each time she sees the blonde smile, how everyday by her side is a perfect day. It feels unbelievable that after all she's been through happiness is so easy to find in the most ordinary moments. Rachel smiles out of happiness. She smiles with her lips, her eyes and her heart.

"I've never been surer of anything in my life. I… I love you." She can't even believe how easy and simple that words slip her mouth. But it's just the truth. And she can't bring herself to think about feeling this way about any of her ex, not Noah, not Finn, and definitely not Mark.

"I love you too, Rachel." Quinn smiles widely and Rachel feels complete for the first time in her life.

* * *

The bedroom door opens abruptly and a little blonde charges towards the bed with two pillows in her hands. She throws them to the two heads showing from under the sheets.

"Wha… what happens?" Quinn says, disoriented.

"Wake up! We're going to be late!"

"We are awake… we are." Rachel replies dumbly.

"You better. Next time I'll pour water over you two. Maybe that's what you need. Daddy said you were on fire last night." Both of open their eyes and cover themselves with the sheets a little bit embarrased. "Anyway, dad and I are cooking breakfast. Hurry up! I'm going to tell auntie San it's your fault."

Beth closes the door behind her living the two girls in bed with an awkward expression between embarrassment and worry. As they are left alone, they both turn to face each other. They search in each other's eyes for a hint of regret, but all they find is happiness and they have no choice but to smile.

"Good morning." Quinn says happily and she kisses the brunette's cheek gently, keeping her face close.

"Good morning" The brunette answers smiley, brushing the top of their noses together and kissing quickly the blonde's lips. Quinn decides a quick kiss is not enough and kisses her back, deepening the kiss a little more. They finally break the kiss because of the lack of oxygen in their lungs. "I was afraid everything was a dream." Rachel says a little embarrassed.

"This is better than a dream." Quinn caresses the brunette cheek and kisses quickly again her soft lips.

"Mom! Rachel!" They hear.

"Ok. So maybe in my dreams they wouldn't interrupt us like that." Rachel laughs quietly but she stops, lost in her thoughts. "What?"

"Come on. Let's get ready." Rachel pushes Quinn to her side and gets up from the bed. Quinn feel a little rejected. "Beth could find us like this and…" Something snaps in Quinn's brain and she takes a determination.

They get ready under the Beth's curious eyes and they leave as soon as possible. However, they are late again.

* * *

"I can't believe you, lazy asses." Santana growls at them. "Every weekend the same story. Always late!"

"It was their fault!" Beth accuses the two girls.

"Yeah, totally. They were too tired this morning." Noah says playfully.

Santana gets it immediately but Quinn doesn't give her enough time to make a comment. She invites herself into the house, making sure Rachel is by her side.

"Hi, Brittany!" She salutes the other blonde happily. Beth runs into the house and towards her auntie.

"Hi, auntie Brit!"

"Hi honey. What's up?"

"We were late because of mom and Rachel." She accuses them again.

Quinn grunts in exasperation. "Can't you leave it already?" Everybody laughs around her, Rachel included, which Quinn gets as a sign. Santana closes the door and Quinn finds Rachel's hand, squeezing it.

"Okay. I've got an announcement to make."

Santana turns around them and now they are all facing the two girls against the door. Quinn looks nervously to Rachel and she can see a hint of excitement in her eyes.

"What? You are a lazy ass? We already knew it, Fabray." Santana makes a little joke to make the air between them lighter and catch their attention.

Rachel gives her a little nod and Quinn faces their friends and family again.

"Beth, do you know your aunties love each other very much, right?"

"Duh… of course I know, mom." She says as Brittany hugs her.

"Rachel and I… we love each other that much."

"I… know…" Beth says as she shakes her head at the obvious.

The sound of the oven's timer brings everyone out of their silence.

"Food's ready!" Brittany sings as she goes back to the kitchen with Beth following her.

"What are we having, auntie Brit?"

"Something I'm sure you'll like. It's a special recipe I learnt from my grandma!"

"Great!"

"Do you need help with something?" Noah offers.

"Could you choose the wine?" Brittany answers and Noah disappears.

Santana is the only one to stay behind. She smirks knowingly at Quinn.

"Oh, shut up!" The blonde says, but she ends up laughing and sticking her tongue out for the latina.

"Congrats." She says turning around. "It was about damn time."

They are left alone in the hall. Quinn faces Rachel.

"Well…" She starts. "I guess we're out. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." The brunette says. "And you?"

"A little disappointed, I must say…" Quinn says, looking around. "But I'm the happiest person in the world just to be with you."

The brunette bits her lip and leans towards the taller girl, who is meeting her in the middle.

"That's cheesy." Beth appears out of nowhere, interrupting. "Are you going to kiss now?"

"Hm… are you ok with it?" The brunette asks.

"Ok by me." They kiss gently in front of her.

"I'm getting this Italian wine, it seems pretty good…" Noah says coming to the hall. "Wow, oh…" He interrupts them.

"Daddy, when are you going to get a girlfriend? Or a boyfriend?"

"I'm pretty sure I only like girls but... Let me be, kiddo! I'm still young and pretty."

"You old man…"

"Did you hear what she just told me?" Noah grabs her with one hand and takes her over his shoulder. "You're going to pay." He leaves the bottle of wine in a table and tickles his daughter, who screams and laughs.

Brittany and Santana come into the room. "Hey, are you going to stand there all day? Let's eat!"

"Yeah, come on couple." Brittany adds bringing the bowl of sauce to the table. The blonde gets a little spoon and brings it to Santana's lips to taste it.

"Mmm… I like it." The latina says. She looks back at Brittany who is smiling at her. "What?"

"You've got a bit of sauce in your lip. I'll take it." Brittany kisses her and Santana kisses her back happily.

Meanwhile, Noah and Beth are around the table. They look at each other suspiciously, then to the hostesses and then back to each other, smiling. They dip a finger in the sauce and taste it.

"Mmm. It's really good." Beth says, going for a second dip of her finger.

"Get your hands out of my sauce!" Brittany exclaims in a tone that doesn't suit her at all and all of them just end up laughing.

Some words echoes on Rachel's mind and Quinn takes her hand again. They walk into the room with all the people they love just happy.

"_It'll be ok. You've got me. You've got us…"_

She looks at Quinn, searches her eyes and she's sure she will be ok. She will be more than ok.

THE END.


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